While standing in front of a statue of Christ in a cathedral, Swedish movie director Ingmar Bergman is reported to have said: "Talk to me!" Of course, God did not react to Bergman's request.

Bergman's experience in the cathedral was supposedly part of the motivation for his movie portrayal of people desperately seeking an answer from God during a time of great personal desperation.

The fact is, though, that God has often spoken with people! The Bible records several eyewitness accounts of God speaking to people or appearing to them.

Actually the Bible itself is God's message to us. The Bible is His revelation of knowledge that we would otherwise not have been able to discern by ourselves.

Part of that revelation is information about a way of life that is pleasing to God and provides us happiness and contentment: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2. Timothy 3:16-17).

Some people want an answer from God only when they need Him in an emergency, but otherwise they are not interested in what God has to tell them in His word. So they remain unaware of the fact that God has already spoken to them!

But God can talk to us every day if we allow Him to speak to us: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).

With these thoughts I wish everyone a rewarding Sabbath!