Dr. Rebekah McCloud
When my grandson Kevin was a little boy, he loved dinosaurs. He thought every trip to a store meant he would bring one back home with him. I took him shopping one day. We had the talk before we got out of the car and once inside, I put him in the shopping cart. When I neared the toy section, I speedily pushed the cart down the center aisle in an attempt to distract his view. He yelled out, “Grandma, slow this buggy down. I can’t hardly see anything. But I think a saw me a dinosaur.”
Is that not like our lives? Many of our days are filled with stuff, with busyness, with work, with family, with finances, with social media, with hasty glimpses down an aisle, with… you name it. We speed through our days and perhaps see something on the peripheral. If we just slow down, slow our roll, it is amazing at all the ways we can use our senses to experience God. Proverbs 20:12 says, “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.”
So how do we use our ears to experience God? Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” We have an opportunity each day to hear the word of God via television, the Internet, radio, social media, church services, and good old-fashion out loud Bible reading. Hearing the word of God on a daily basis helps us to build our faith and our bond with God. Through his word, we can learn more about God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Granted, at times it seems that God may be silent; but God is always there. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you unsearchable things you do not know.” Sometimes we need to get silent so that we can hear God’s “still small voice,” (1 King 19:12). Praying the Psalm (especially Psalms 22, Psalms 51, and Psalms 139) may be helpful in getting centered.
So how do we use our eyes to experience God? Luke 11:34 tells us, “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness.” A lamp is used to illuminate a space. That illumination guides our way and helps us to see things clearly. Making sure we have clarity is important. The aphorism, “all that glitters is not gold,” is something we should take to heart. The world is full of shiny things and flashy people. Unless we keep our eyes on Jesus, these things may deceive the very elect (Matthews 24:24). Psalms 191:3 says, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” Take caution, Matthew 5:29 tells us, “If your right eye causes you to fall, pluck it out.” Finally, 2 Corinthians 4: 18 proclaims, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and ask for guidance.
So how do we use our taste to experience God? Read the word of God. Let me say that again. Read the word of God. Psalms 34:8 in part says, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!” His words are sweeter than honey (Psalms 119: 103). Matthew 4:4 says, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” There are 66 books in the Bible (Genesis through Revelations): 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The Old Testament is broken down into four sections: the law, history, wisdom/poetry, and the prophets. The New Testament in broken down into five sections: the gospels, church history, Paul’s letters, general letters, and prophecy. Anything we need can be found within the 66 books. Guaranteed! Read and taste the good word of God.
Slowing down our buggy is a good thing. It provides the opportunity for us to use our senses: our ears, our eyes, and our taste to experience God. It allows us as God’s sheep to hear God’s voice (John 10:27). It allows us to open our eyes and behold wondrous things (Psalms 119:18). It allows us to have a taste of the Lord’s kindness (1 Peter 2:3). Be reminded, “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God,” (2 Corinthians 2:15). Experience God; slow your roll.