Lily Tomlin, the actress says, “When we speak to God we are said to be praying but when we hear God we are said to be schizophrenic”. What she means is that claims by people who hear God are sometimes greeted with skepticism.

The perceptions of people as to why God speaks can range from not expecting God to speak to treating Him as a fortune teller, like SOD, speak on (your) demand?

But let me say that it is the most natural thing for a believer to speak to God and hear from him. God will speak to us, and we can be confident about receiving guidance. This view is evident from Scripture.

For example the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write in Isaiah 58: 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. And verse 11, The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Will it surprise you when I say, “God’s main reason for speaking to the individual is to develop a personal relationship with him or her?”

A proper understanding of why God speaks will help us to deal with Jesus’ warning that, “whoever will save his life will lose it.”

Now there is absolutely nothing wrong to want to save your own life, to be comfortable, or even to have others think well of you. It is a warning against being overly selfish or concerned for your self. And in the area of hearing God, it is a warning against the practice of seeking God solely and entirely (say for nothing else but) out of concern for your own welfare.

In scripture (1 Samuel chapter 28), King Saul is an example of such a degeneration. King Saul lost it when he demanded to have God speak by engaging the service of the Witch of Endor. Over concern for your own fortune can lead to a gross disregard of God’s wishes!

Everyone on earth suffers occassionally from anxieties about what the future holds. The future can came at you with the sickening destructive force of a freight train to derail your plans and expectations. The uncertainty about the future was painfully demonstrated last week in the local news about the twelve year old boy who just recovered from cancer but got knocked down by a car and killed. In the international arena the news about Steve the crocodile-hunter’s death by sting ray shocked and saddened his fans.

In day to day stuff, there is uncertainty to cross the street. There are choices of courses to take (which JC or Polytechnic to go), decisions on the career path or job to pursue. Important decisions at cross roads in life which you know will shape your life (making it miserable or happy).

It is a natural impulse to seek divine guidance. (If you are in a business and sell a product or service that will let people know the future and prepare them to deal with it, you will be rich!) It’s alright to seek guidance from God and as mentioned earlier God will speak to you, and you can be confident about receiving guidance from him.

But don’t expect to him to tell your fortune.

The way to keep it in check is to remember that God speaks to you primarily to develop a close and loving relationship with you, and to nurture your ability to relate to him as friend and co-worker.

Now don’t be surprised again, to learn that God hopes to us have us as his friend and co-worker. Look at John 15:15. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you, and 1 Corinthians 3:9. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

It is ludicrous to think that there can ever be a personal walk, friendship and a working relationship with God (or for that matter with anyone else) without communication. Conversations are by no means the only way to communicate, but you should know that it is entirely possible for you to have a conversational relationship with God. And in fact that is what he desires for us and his primary purpose for speaking to us.

God is not to be considered as a jolly good fellow or just a buddy to be listened to at our whim and fancy, or to SOD. Neither does He intend for us to be robots, puppets on a string or slaves acting out of fear of the whip. But in a conversational relationship, we are able to respond intelligently – with our minds – and with spontaneity – with our emotions and out of our own free will.

And integral to the primary purpose of God in speaking is the development of our character, growing in maturity

As a parent and pastor my intention or purpose is to speak enough and guide in a manner so as to develop the character and capabilities of my children or of the person whom I am guiding. My hope is that he or she can make proper choices/decision for him or her self as soon as possible! God does the same

All parents look forward to the day when their children become mature and independent, and they no longer have to keep teaching about the right values and ways, and the proper goals in life to aim for. It is a delight to you when your children can do things by and for themselves. And it is the same for our Father in heaven!

When we are spiritually immature God has to keeping explaining to us. But he delights when you mature and know for yourselves the things that are needful and pleasing to him. He is so delighted when you can become a friend and coworker: In a close intimate relationship with him and fully immersed in doing his work!