Last night I saw a great movie called "August Rush" starring Robin Williams. It's about a boy music prodigy who ends up separated from his parents at birth. He has the gift of hearing music in the sounds of every day city life. Somehow he can hear his parents reaching out to him through music, and as it turns out they're both musicians. The boy gets discovered, studies at Julliard and composes a sonnet. He tells people that music is all around us; we just need to listen for it.
Lately I've been thinking more about how people hear God's voice. Growing up in the church I was taught that the main way Christians hear God's voice is through the Bible, and honestly sometimes it was regarded the only way. I've never really heard God's voice speaking to me through the Bible, mainly only through the Psalms. Around the time I had my encounter with Lonnie Frisbee, (see my post called "Like Poop Through A Goose"), the Holy Spirit started speaking to me through different ways. I started hearing God's voice through songs on the radio, seeing Him in pictures, in art, through movies, and in many other ways. I'm an artist, so it makes sense that God would use my "language" to speak to me. But when I shared my experiences with my Christian friends they would cock their heads side ways and look at me like I was, well, a freak. So I quit telling people. They didn't understand, and it made me feel like I might have fallen off the deep end.
We hear from God, but is it possible to see Him as well - through art, movies, visual media and other ways? We were created with 5 senses at least: (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste), and it seems to me that God would want to communicate with us through all of them, not simply through hearing alone. He is God after all!!
When I was in Thailand last summer on a mission's trip I had an experience with touching God that was outside of the normal "hearing God" way. During our daily worship and prayer time one of the girls on the team broke out into a beautiful spontaneous song. Her song was about God being our fruit that comes in all colors and flavors. The end of her song said that we were fresh fruit for others. In Thailand the fruit selection is so amazing and delicious! We were able to eat many fruits we don't have here in the US. It was pretty incredible to have God communicate to us through song, sight, touch, smell and taste all at the same time; talk about a multi-sensory experience with God!
So how does God communicate with you? I would love to hear...
One last thought. My husband shared this quote with me some years ago and it's one of my favorites so I wanted to share it with you:
"May God be to you like warm socks on your feet, straight out of the dryer"
Major themes . . . minor themes. Poetry, visions and dreams. Sometimes in songs . . . often in instrumental music. An occasional movie such as "Off the Map", "Stranger than Fiction", "The Matrix" series. "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
ReplyDeleteI am use to the odd stare and the shaking of the head. You would enjoy the chapter in Brennan Manning's book "Ruthless Trust". The chapter is titled "Artists, Mystics and Clowns". A wee-bit of me in all 3. I suspect you and others as well . . .
Thanks so much for sharing! Instrumental music, very cool. I'll have to listen closer the next time I hear some! I've not seen Off the Map or Stranger than Fiction. Do you have Brendon M's book? I'd love to borrow it...
ReplyDeleteWow April. This makes so much sense to me.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do believe at times God has spoken to me through reading His word directly, the idea of hearing Him in a variety of situations and venues is a no-brainer in my mind. lol
Add to that the fact that I'm married to a man who seems to have the uncanny ability to discern spiritual truth in just about any film (even some tv shows) he sees.
And btw, I am so jealous of the amazing fruit feast you had in Thailand. :-)
I use to think I was somehow defective as a christian because I rarely hear from God in the Bible. There, I said it and the roof did not fall in. God speaks to me through songs on the radio, movies, color, the clouds, sky, birds and best of all friends, like you.
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