GodReflection: Silent God—Seeking His Voice
It was the last Garden conversation between God and His favorite creation.
The purpose of the entire creation project was so that God could experience a new and growing relationship with humankind. I suppose only in eternity will I begin to understand His love affair with us.
The Garden conversation seems so natural—as if it was a common occurrence.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. . . the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
He (man) answered . . . And He (God) said . . . The man said. . . Then the Lord God said to the woman . . . The woman said . . . So the Lord God said . . . To the woman he said . . . To Adam he said . . .
Sounds routine to me. All participants seemed to recognize one another. Obviously, it wasn’t an uncommon event.
It makes me wonder. Is it possible that conversation is what God wants out of prayer?
Does He just want to talk with His children? Does He want to communicate His love and concern for us? Does He want to hear about my day? Does He wishfully want me to allow Him to do what He is so willing to do as Father?
Could it be that the ultimate design of prayer is nothing more than keeping the conversation alive?
In my family of origin privacy was not high on the family hierarchy of values. Between four children, grandparents, an aunt, lots of uncles and cousins, plus a church family, a lot of traffic moved through our home. Keys were used only to lock the house on the rare occasion when we traveled.
Due to the abundance of people I don’t remember many occasions when I had alone time with my dad. He wasn’t by any means an absent father as he was always present—but so were others.
However, those occasions when we were alone—especially later on in life—I remember as special. The more I think about those times the less I recall the details.
The warm memories flow from the conversation itself rather than the subject matter.
God’s perfect harmony with humankind was stained by sin that broke relationship. That disconnect was recorded in a God-designed garden of a newly created earth.
The resultant communication crack continued through history with what I perceive as silent conversation.
I talk without a sound. God responds without a sound.
As Scriptures closes there is a scene that shows the reality of a newly created earth. The snapshot is of a return to garden walks and garden conversation.
God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God – Revelation 21:3.
The new earth will bring about a new day when God will once again experience garden walks and an exchange of free-flowing hearts with His children.
So, what is prayer anyway?
Could it be that in addition to a feeble attempt at conversation in the present, prayer is the act that keeps lines of communication open for a time when God’s dream will become reality?
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection on What is Prayer Anyway?
Gary@Godreflection.org www.GodReflection.org
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