It is a marvel—God speaks to man. The overarching story of Scriptures causes me to believe God in fact spoke to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. There is no doubt in my mind that God spoke audibly to the Prophets.

What challenges my understanding is to believe God wants me to speak to him.

How can it be possible God wants to hear from me? What is it of value I have to say to him? Wow, talk about an incredible God reflection. The God of the universe wants me to talk with him.

I must go back to the reason God created man. For reasons beyond my finite mind, God wanted a friend. He wanted a creature for fellowship. It seemed to have been his greatest joy to appear in the garden of an evening to converse with Adam and Eve.

From the time Satan messed with the garden until Jesus returns, God is moving history toward a time when he restores the garden relationship between the Creator and the created.

OK, I understand my need to hear from God. That is the primary purpose of Scripture. God has a message to share with me. He wants me to know of his love. More precisely, God wants me to accept from Scripture that he loves me not as a member of the human race but as an individual, one of his unique creations. In all of history, he made no one like me. It is a lifetime project to accept and understand the implications of being a unique creation of the Almighty God.

So, how do I talk with Almighty God? The disciples once asked Jesus how they should talk with the Creator. Jesus’ answer went something like this.

Recognize whom you are addressing. He is the Father who resides in the heavens. Remember his name is Holy. First, align your will to his. Let him know you are in agreement with him in your desire to see the rule of his kingdom come in all hearts on earth and you want to see his will accomplished even unto the heavens.

Since he is the Holy One, you can ask him to provide for your daily needs. Remember his nature is to forgive all of his followers of all sin in their lives, and he can read your heart based on your willingness to forgive those who do you wrong.

The world is a dangerous place with Satan traversing its circumference. You will want to ask your all-powerful father for his care in keeping you far from temptation. However, when those times occur, remember, it is only your Father who can deliver you from the Evil One.

Just in case the disciples didn’t catch it, Jesus repeats himself for them and for me.

He wants me to be clear that God bases his forgiveness on the way I forgive those who wrong me. This transition is found in the middle of Matthew 6, and Jesus spent the rest of chapter 6 and all of chapter 7 teaching how I can live to be in conversation with God.

Once again, I’ll admit to not being the brightest bulb in the room. God wants to have a relationship with me, what do I say? What is the language of God speak? What do I hope to hear?

Stay tuned. This needs more reflection. – Gary J. Sorrells