Darth Vadar

Your father, the devil

/ EllieJ / Leave a comment

You are of your father, the devil,and your will is to do your father’s desires…

John 8:44 (ESV)

This verse, to me, is akin to Darth Vadar telling Luke he’s his father. Luke was good. He was the hero (sort of, but he was a whiner and we all know than Han was the real hero). There was no way Luke was going to join the Dark Side. He couldn’t believe that he was born of someone who pretty much owned the Dark Side.

Just like Luke, the men in the temple figured they were the good guys. They had it all together. They were the righteous ones. Then Jesus tells them the devil is their father. One might be able to see how they could have been slightly indignant. Superimpose Luke’s whiny face yelling NO! on a Jewish priest and you’ve got the picture.

But, unlike the men of the temple, Luke – as much as he didn’t want to – saw the truth of his father’s words. He was of his father and heard his father’s words.

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

John 8:47 (ESV)

Ever wonder why it’s often so difficult (or seemingly impossible) for unbelievers to believe? This is your answer. We believe and speak from the character of the one we’ve submitted ourselves to. As Christians, we have revelation of the Word of God because we’ve claimed Him as our Father and He’s made us to understand His ways. Unbelievers are at a disadvantage because they’re still in submission to the devil who will do all he can to prevent them from seeing the Truth.

It almost seems to be a hopeless cause. It’s not. Even though Luke eventually believed and accepted that Darth was his father, he didn’t allow it to define him. There is hope for the unbeliever just as there was hope that Luke could still be the hero.

There is still a peace that passes understanding. The Truth still sets people free. Jesus is still the light of the world. Faith is still the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. So long as we are faithful to continue to be the light of the world there is always hope for the hopeless.

Daily Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 8-10; John 8:37-59

Familiar

/ EllieJ / Leave a comment

I’ve always said that, if I were ever to hear the voice of God audibly, He’d sound like James Earl Jones – more Mufasa than Darth Vadar. I don’t know why, but in my mind, God is an old black man. I have no scripture to back this up.

If I really were to hear the voice of God, I wonder what He’d sound like. Would He be the rumbling, echoing voice in the clouds or would He be the softly carried whisper in the wind that causes fields of grain to ripple in ripe, golden waves?

In 1 Samuel 3, the boy Samuel hears a voice in the night. Is it a deep, raspy voice or a light, airy sound? Whatever the timbre, it wasn’t a stranger’s voice he heard.

How often do you see Christians heeding the voice of a stranger? A voice on the radio? A passer-by? A travelling preacher?

And how often do those very same people ignore the voice of the trusted and familiar? Close friends. Family. Pastor.

Then the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel answered, “I am here!” He ran to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”

1 Samuel 3:4-5 (NCV)

Thrice over, young Samuel heard a voice and ran immediately to Eli. Why? The voice he heard wasn’t strange, but familiar. God called to him in a voice that wouldn’t frighten him, but rather give comfort and trust.

God will often use the voices of those closest to us to convey His words.

Whose voice are you listening to?

Daily Bible reading: 1 Samuel 1-3; Luke 12:1-34