Words from God

Throughout today's lectionary passages from the Old and New Testaments there are passages about the effects and consequences of the Word of the Lord upon the earth. From songs of faithfulness in the Psalms to words of warning in Amos to words of comfort in Matthew, when God speaks the people of the Bible not only know it, but they feel it too.

So, do we still feel the word of the Lord? I've been wondering about that over the past few days as we've been gripped in the cold embrace of winter all of a sudden in Twin Falls. Not only is it cold as it is supposed to be in December but it is bitter cold. What with the wind and snow, even when the sun does come out it may look inviting, but looks can be deceiving.

And so we are forced inside, we are forced to draw closer to those whom we love, we are forced by the bone chilling cold to think of those who do not live in warm and comforting homes or who have no shelter at all. Could this cold weather be the voice of God? If we really listen might we not hear something of God in both the beauty and horror of such dangerous weather?

And if we do hear God's voice, what then are we to do? Maybe this nasty weather is a wake up call for us all to realize what we have been given. At a time of year when advertisers are working their hardest to push us into thinking we have nothing or at least not enough, maybe the freezing weather outside might help direct us to seeing how much God has blessed us with which will prompt us to acts of generosity.