“Is it odd, or is it God?”

My husband coined that phrase in the early stages of learning to hear God’s voice. For instance, he frequently came across the number 333 in his everyday world. Eventually he considered searching it out in Scripture and landed on Jeremiah 33:3

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” 

It wasn’t odd. It was God!

A question follows—was this just a message for Jeremiah, for his situation, in his time? Or is the Bible a living book? Does the Holy Spirit use the ancient text to bring the same invitation to us? I believe it was for then and for now. Here’s another example.

Many years ago, I felt unloved as a wife. Our marriage hit rock bottom in the mid- 80’s, and I turned to God in my desperation. One day, while reading Song of Solomon, I came across these words:

“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” Song of Solomon 7:10

I can still recall the ache inside my chest as I read that sentence. My marriage remained broken for a number of years. Yet, in that moment, I also felt a stirring in my spirit. Continue reading