Why is God so elusive, hard to communicate with, and difficult to decipher?

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Hello WhiteDove,

God lead the Israelites out of Egypt using more miracles than most people see in whole milleniums. When the Israelites got out of Egypt they bent down and worshiped a golden calf. Judas saw more miracles and heard more wisdom (Jesus’ words) than most hear and see in many milleniums, then Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 silver peices.

Maybe it is better for us to show our faith in Jesus and the Father without Him having to talk to us.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com
 
Steven Merten:
When the Israelites got out of Egypt they bent down and worshiped a golden calf.
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For some reason, this just struck me as particularly humorous. A bunch of people bowing down to a statue of a cow. I wonder what they would have done if it gave them a big MOO?😛

Alan
 
Greetings Church

God has been speaking clearly and often loudly to His people from the day of Adam and Eve. All through the Old Testament, He spoke. Then Jesus came and spoke in the flesh. In both the Old and the New Testament, people REFUSED to listen and understand. Jesus went out of His way to be understood, even explaining in Parables. Even his own Apostles didn’t understand to begin with.

Jesus stressed, unless you come to Him like little children. He said it would be tougher for the rich to hear, you couldn’t serve God and money (worldly things).

Finally, it was through the Power of the Holy Spirit, after Pentecost, that we are now able to hear and understand. Jesus said, His sheep would hear and recognize His voice. I believe Him.

We have to train ourselves to stop, be quiet, pray (especially pray the scriptures, and there is good tecniques to learn to do this) and then to be silent and listen.

smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_12_11.gif
 
I once was reffering a man to Christ’s teaching. The man said, “Stop! I do not want to hear it. If I heard it then I would have to change.”

Today, just speaking of Jesus’ teaching to people puts an obligation upon them to obey Him. Can you imagine how it will be for those of Chroazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum who actually heard Jesus and saw His miracles yet rejected His teaching of repentance.

**NAB LUKE 10:8 **

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’" Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

On Palm Suday there were many followers who accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour. By Holy Thursday their were few with enduring faith in Jesus standing at the foot of His cross.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com
 
I thought this- from today’s Gospel- the parable of the rich man & Lazarus particularly apropos for this discussion.

"[The rich man] said, “Then I beg you, father, send him [Lazarus] to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, lest they too come to this place of torment.” But Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” [The rich man] said, “Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Then Abraham said, “If they will not listento Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” Luke 16:27-31
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AlanFromWichita:
For some reason, this just struck me as particularly humorous. A bunch of people bowing down to a statue of a cow. I wonder what they would have done if it gave them a big MOO?😛

Alan
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LOL!! :whacky: at the picture of large cow statue moo-ing!
 
actually I think it’s all pretty clear…I can read scripture to get his message and even in my life it’s always been rather clear what he’s trying to tell me if I take the time to observe and listen.

God Bless
 
In order to communicate with God, I think we must become very still. His voice is beyond this world, which is so far away yet so near. He speaks to us mystically, which means it is a mystery in human terms. We can’t translate that into English or any other human language, I believe.
 
Regardless of what the spin doctors say, a finite human intellect is not capable of fully understanding an infinite being. That’s why it is in the realm of faith to accept the existence of God.
 
God values faith. I think of it like a Boss and an employee. If the boss watches the employee from a surveillance camera and sees him working hard, he’s going to think he’s a good employee who deserves a promotion, but if the employee goofs around because he doesn’t think he’s being watched, he will not please the boss. If a boss is constantly there with the employee telling him what to do and reprimanding him for not doing it, the employee will always be on task. . .not because of his own will, but because he is forced by the boss.

sorry if this is lame. . .just how I’ve often viewed it

Brandon
 
As a parent I often speak plainly, clearly and directly to my school age children. They know the rules and the expectations we have of them. What more do they need to have? Do we have to carve it onto some stone tablets or preach it on some mountain side?

THIS is why I think God seems so elusive,etc.We are God’s children and sometimes our spiritual adolescent comes into play!
 
I voted OTHER.

God speaks to everyone in different ways.
I think part of the communication between each person and God is due to the openess to God. I am sure our personal sins limits us with God, yet God lets us experiences sins to a degree to bring us back to Him. In my life, I had done some things (which I have confessed and repented to) which I had to experience to know that I was falling away from God. To be where I am now, I had to travel a road filled with mortal sexual sin.

God communicates through the beauty of nature, seeing a star lit night or a full moon. a breathtaking sunset or sunrise, a cool gentle rain, another person who does a kind act from the heart for you, someone saying the right thing at the right time that makes an impact on you, etc.

Elijah heard God in a whisper after experiencing all the ‘loud noise’ that he thought was God speaking (I.e. the thunder, earthquake, the wind). It took ‘only a whisper’ for God to get his attention.

go with God!
Edwin
 
I believe that if you are in the state of grace and you go into His Eucharist Presence and are still, silent and open, He will communicate with you.
Also, didn’t Jesus say “I will send you the Helper.” The Helper is the Holy Spirit…I’ve heard God the Father, and Jesus on this thread, and only 1 speak of the Holy Spirit.
The best kept secret of our Catholic Faith is the Holy Spirit and how He speaks ‘to our hearts’…
Just my 2 cents worth.
Jeanette
 
Lots of good answers here! There have been times that I have asked God to show me or help me. Sometimes he says NO. He doesn’t have to tell us why. Just because “I said so”. There are times when I won’t give my children an answer when they ask something they already know the answer to. Sometimes I don’t like the answer that he gives so I say he isn’t answering me. I have even asked God to “hit me over the head so I can know what he is saying”. I won’t do that again because he did!! He always is available and does answer ever prayer. We don’t hear because we don’t want to.
The problem isn’t with God, it’s with us.
Peace!
 
God, like any good parent, laid down the law, established the consequences, and sent out that grown up kid into the world. He loves the kid, would die for him, (actually he did) and is always ready to listen and to help him.

But the kid forgets about the parent, does not follow the law and just goes on his merry way. When things do not work out for him he just blames the parent. One of the things he blames him for is not listening. When in fact it is the other way around.
 
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WhiteDove:
Why doesn’t God speak more clearly to Mankind?
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I think He spoke most clearly and lovingly…we have only to look at a crucifix to understand Him.
 
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