Never place a period where God has placed a comma. — Gracie Allen
Last Sunday, I spoke of how we sometimes cling to old beliefs that no longer work in this day and time. I said, “That was then, this is now.” I also mentioned how parts of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures have been misinterpreted and/or misunderstood over time.
Many stories were handed down through generations of people who were simply trying to make their way in a world they didn’t understand. They were trying to decide if their actions pleased or displeased the Gods, and how to live through the storms of life, provide food for their families and simply get along in the world. Their writings were helpful then.
There is, of course, beauty and inspiration to be found in the scriptures such as the Twenty-third Psalm. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” it reads. That is incredibly touching, as are Paul’s writings to the Corinthians. ‘Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” [i]
People from all over the world have shared their teachings as well. Hindus, Buddhists, Indigenous people, Zoroastrians, and so many others. Do we not believe that God speaks to or through them as well?
For me, I don’t need to accept the biblical writings as God’s only words to humanity. One Christian denomination had a slogan a few years ago to encourage others to see a broader truth. It was called “God is Still Speaking. [ii] Spirit is still speaking to and through us. We have an abundance of spiritual teachers alive today sharing their inspirations. There have been multitudes of people over the centuries providing great insight and inspiration. Spirit has never stopped speaking. If we are open, we will hear Spirit’s Whispers as well. They come when we are quiet, sometimes when we need inspiration or guidance. They come when we are simply open. Spirit speaks to and through us daily but are we open and willing to listen?
[i] https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/13-13.htm
[ii] Stillspeaking – United Church of Christ (ucc.org)