A Word from the Lord

‘The Word of the Lord was rare in those days...’

(1Samuel 3: 1)

When I was licensed to preach in 1980 and then ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament a year later (and subsequently whenever I have been inducted to a charge or introduced to post, I – in common with all Church of Scotland Ministers - have answered this question (amongst others)

‘Do you believe the Word of God,

which is contained in the Scriptures

of the Old and New Testaments,

to be the supreme rule of faith and life?’

On every occasion I have confidently and without hesitation answered ‘I do’.

Why? Because... well... I do!

But that tells you little about my understanding of the ‘Word of God’, my theology of inspiration or my interpretation of the Bible. It irritates me greatly when churches self-describe as ‘Bible believing’, thus implying that the rest of them/us are not! But enough of that... this is not meant to be a diatribe!

But just before I leave my ranting, let me mention that I came across a new word yesterday. I read it in a book which addresses the very real phenomenon of those who either leave the church because they can no longer believe everything that everyone else does (or that they imagine everyone else does) or else who feel less at home than they once did with the particular understanding of the Christian faith that had initially nurtured them, and they do not know where to turn or what to do. So often – as the book recounts and as I know from talking to very many (as well as from my own experience) – people are scared to admit to questions, concerns or doubts because of the reaction (real or feared) of their fellow Christians. The book suggests that they are often scared that they ‘may be judged, scripturized, or ostracised’.

And there’s the word: ‘Scripturized’. I think it means that either folks try to use bible verses as ‘ammunition’ in arguments or as ‘proof texts’ to convince the questioner that they are wrong or even as words with quasi-magical powers to change the ‘rebellious’ attitudes of the unsure and uncertain.

Yikes!

Whatever our understanding of God’s word in Scripture or our doctrine of inspiration or our theological views, I am quite sure that this is not how the Bible is meant to be used!

However, I do have a very high view of the Bible. I love Scripture and God speaks to me through it.

Hear the Word of God!

So, that brings me back to the circumstances which we have been facing and the experience I have already outlined (minus specifics or details) in our family over these recent months.

In the face of all that – in the midst of it – has there been a Word from the Lord? Has Scripture spoken to us? And the answer is Yes!

Not often... not a lot... not always very clearly; but nonetheless God has spoken. His word has come to us and done so through Scripture.

Early on in the dark journey we have been on, a friend asked whether there was any Bible story, incident or passage that spoke to us. Almost immediately I said ‘yes’.

I responded that the words of Joseph to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, pretended to his father that he had been killed, and now stood in his presence following their arrival in Egypt and the death of their father, were words which gave me hope ‘Do not be afraid... even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good’ (Genesis 50: 19-20). In these words I found the hope that no matter what bad things may be occurring, God can yet bring it to good.[1]

And then, when Jane and I were attending worship one morning (in a church we had not worshipped in before – and that is an experience Sunday by Sunday that been an interesting aspect of this time when we ourselves have not been ministering!) Jane took comfort from a verse in the Old Testament reading ‘surely the Lord was in this place – and I did not know it’ (Genesis 28: 16).

And there have been another couple of times and verses. Not many... but perhaps enough.

I have no doubt at all that God speaks through the Scriptures. This may be, for me anyway, one of these seasons when the word of the Lord is rare... but I have found that if I listen, I do on occasion hear him.

---

[1] This, of course, finds its echo in Romans 8: 28 ‘we know that all things work together for good for those who love God...’