Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - RECOGNITION

 RECOGNITION

In Luke, we are told of two of Jesus’ followers travelling on the road to Emmaus. There they encountered a stranger who conversed with them regarding recent events in Jerusalem. It was not until later that they recognized the stranger as Jesus and then hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the eleven there what had just happened (Luke 24:13-33). They did not realize what had taken place until sometime after the first meeting occurred.

Is it not possible that the same thing may happen to us and we don’t realize what has happened until later or even at all? After all, God doesn’t often come to us in the wind, or in an earthquake, or in fire but more often in “…a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). Is that why we seem to have so much trouble deciphering His direction and understanding what He wants for us? If we are to follow, it’s important to be sure exactly who is doing the leading.

Perhaps it’s because we’re spoken to in a still small voice that we don’t often hear God speaking. There is so much noise and hustle in today’s existence that it’s easy to miss the quiet voice, and when that happens, it’s also easy to confuse your own thoughts as coming from Him. 

Perhaps that is why the Pharisees added more to God’s word than what was intended. They were listening to their own thoughts rather than those of God. But really that should not be surprising. After all, remember what Mark said about that religious order - “Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down…” (Mark 7:13, NET). He also said that “…Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules’” (Mark 7:6-7, NIV).

Too often we probably listen to human teachings rather than recognize what God Himself has said. We rely too much on what we are or what we have done in order to try and make ourselves right with God. But God, though Isaiah, has said that “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6).

And do we not often listen to what people say in our day to day activities? We pay attention to and follow suggestions and advice on social media or what may be given by total strangers rather than follow God’s suggestion to “…Fear God. Honor the king [leaders]…” (1 Peter 2:17).

Sometimes it seems we are so far away from God both personally and in places of worship. Is it because we listen so much to what the world says and seem to hear only what society shouts about? Is God still speaking to us as He did on the Emmaus road, expounding to us “…all the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

But we have to be able to recognize His voice and be able to decipher what He is saying over the noise of the world. Perhaps then, we will be as His followers were on that day when “…their eyes were opened, and they knew Him” (Luke 24:31). That still small voice has not ceased. We just have to recognize and follow it. 

At least it is something we should think about.