Chapter 1  –  Houston, in the Blind – Broken Communication

In the 2014 movie Gravity, Sandra Bullock portrays an astronaut in space.  Space debris from another space craft damages her ship and breaks the communication equipment.  Similar to a “May Day” message she begins repeating “Houston, in the blind” over and over throughout the rest of the movie.  Houston is the communication control base on earth that stays in constant contact with astronauts throughout their mission.  In the movie, they remain silent. Her communication system was broken beyond repair.

Houston had NO problems with their ability to hear or communicate with Sandra Bullock.  But her communication system had failed.  You could feel her frustration leading to loss of hope as “Houston” remained silent.  Regardless of her training, good intentions, wishful thinking or repeated attempts, she remained alone in the silence of space.  She was  “In the blind” of all outside communication.

Maybe that is exactly how you feel about trying to communicate with God.  You are sure that there is no problem with His ability to send communication of His will for your life…but He seems silent.  If God doesn’t have the problem, then it must be you.  Even though there is a longing inside you which wants to hear a clear, warm, intimate communication with a wonderful heavenly Father who loves you, you realize that something is broken.  If Jesus on the day of his baptism heard God say,  “You are my son in whom I am well pleased”, then is it possible to hear God speak to you with the same clarity?

Maybe you are thinking, “Am I the only one broken or does everyone have the same communication problems’ ‘? Well there is some bad news and good news.  The bad news is that we are all broken… not one person exists who is not affected by the failure of good communication.

The good news? For the followers of Jesus, He restores the capacity to begin dialoguing with God once again.  Think of this, the one who created us has given us the equipment necessary to hear him. Jesus said, “Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying.”   

Be encouraged that God is seeking you out to dialogue with you.  Not just in the future, but today, right now God desires to reveal his thoughts toward you.  But there is a disconnect that must be addressed.  There is a problem that disrupts the open flow of communication.

How did the communication disaster come about?

In the first 2 chapters of Genesis we find a wonderful display of an open and life giving relationship of God speaking and creation responding.  There was no tension, no conflict in creation.  God’s words were bringing order out of the chaos as creation sprang to life in response to His words.  Adam heard God’s first words to mankind. He was given authority over the earth to steward it and be fruitful.  

Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Heard Word  – Throughout the rest of the book, this section is to accent principles and insights when God has spoken to someone. When my children were at work giving information which would impact another team member’s actions, the team member would respond with the word “heard”, implying they understood the information and would start making the adjustments.

  • Heard Word–  God’s first words to Adam defined his mission and existence in this world.  God explained his reason for “being”.  We receive these words as God’s plan and purpose to each and everyone on the planet. Notice that sometimes God may speak clearly about your specific purpose on earth.

 God provided a special place for Adam to live called Eden.  The fruit from these trees were to provide all that Adam needed for life. However, God now told Adam, that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the midst of this garden.  In fact, God introduced a term that Adam had no context of understanding.  DEATH.  If Adam ate from that tree, God said that he would surely die.  Most likely, Adam had never seen something die at this point in his life..

  • Heard Word – Our Creator knows what is good for us.  Sometimes His words to us are specific to NOT DO something.  God has much that is FOR us, but He is clear when He speaks NO.  Our excuses of why we choose to follow our own thoughts and actions instead of obedience to His clear words, will fail to stand in His presence.

Enter the Serpent, Satan, into the human story.  Notice the first question recorded in the Bible is directed at clarifying God’s words spoken to Adam. .  Satan’s  words to Eve are at the crux of our communication problem with God.  ““Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 

Granted Eve was not present when God first instructed Adam.  In fact, the biblical account seems to indicate that Adam was present but just not involved in the conversation.  Adam should have instantly repeated verbatim the commandment that God had given him.  They both disobeyed and ate from the tree which God had forbidden them to eat.  God’s word was true as the awareness of Good and Evil did indeed awaken within Adam and Eve. Instantly, they felt shame as the revelation of their nakedness became apparent.  

They clothed and hid themselves in the midst of the garden. But even worse, they were afraid of God’s voice when they heard Him in the midst of the garden.  God is seeking Adam and Eve in their sinfulness.  “Adam, Where are you?” asked God.  The one who had been in constant communion with God since his creation was now distant and hiding.  Sin had broken his communication equipment with God. For the first time in his life, He was  unsure  how God felt about him.  Shame filled his life because he no longer felt worthy of the loving relationship he had with God.

  • Heard Word – Our sinful condition and action, forms the conversation breakdown with God.  Until this condition is addressed,  our interaction with God is filled with shame, fear, mistrust, confusion, and apparent silence.

It does no good to blame others for our own sinfulness.  We have limited and broken down equipment to converse with God.  In order for us to begin to walk with God in a loving relationship again, something has to take death for our sinfulness.  With Adam and Eve, God killed an animal and made clothing from its skin.  The animal became a substitution for the death that Adam and Eve deserved.  Can you imagine that day, when an animal squealed in pain, blood flowed forth and the animal became lifeless so that Adam could continue to live?

Jesus is called the lamb that will take away the sins of the world.  His death on the cross was  in your place.  He died and became lifeless so that you could be awakened to spiritual life and oneness with God again.  Then He rose again.  This validated everything that Jesus said was true.  If we believe in our heart that Jesus died (in my/your place) and confess with our mouths that He is Lord we shall be saved.

  • Heard Word – God points out our failures to invite us to cover them with His blood, not to expose us to more embarrassment.  He focuses our attention on His son , Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith. Belief and trust in Jesus is the pathway to new life and renewed open communication with God.

We are all broken, but God has the solution.  If you want to hear God, I invite you to take the first step.  Let God fix the communication barrier.   If you have never prayed a prayer similar to the next one, I invite you to read it out loud now.

Dear Jesus, I have followed my own way of thinking.  I have not cared to live in harmony with others,  I have been angry, mean, lustful, bitter and unforgiving too many people.  I recognize that I cannot clean up myself.  Will you forgive me?   Thank you Jesus for dying in my place on the cross.  Will you come into my life and make me clean.  Thank you for making me new.  In Jesus, name I pray. Amen

Daily challenge: 

Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:23-24

Read the above verse out loud.  Get a pad of paper and write down every event that God would bring to mind relating to sin.  Then ask God to forgive you for your behavior and thoughts.  Take the piece of paper and write forgiven with a red marker across the paper.  Then burn the paper.  Listening for the Spirit to reveal your past faults, starts you on the path to become in tune with what your Father’s voice sounds like.

Blessings Love y’all