Growing up in the country, we did not have access to a local cable TV provider. Instead, my father had erected an antenna on a triangular aluminum pole that stretched more than 30 feet into the air. Occasionally due to wind, the antenna would be blown off of its original positioning and this meant the signal would not come through clearly. Why? It was not in line with the source of the signal coming from the TV station.
Now, it does not take an immense amount of reflection to see a spiritual parallel in the above illustration. Many times, we may not be able to receive the Word of God because we are not in line with the source. Or, we allow things to come between us and the signal source causing interference, and we cannot get a clear picture of what God wants us to do.
Is the problem with the signal source? No. Just like it would have been foolish to call the Nashville TV station and complain about their signal, it is likewise foolish for us to complain to God when we let things interfere in our lives and thus block the clear signal of His Word.
The Bible is the exclusive source for the mind and will of God. British scholar John Stott observed: “One of the highest and noblest functions of man’s mind is to listen to God’s Word, and so to read His mind and think His thoughts after Him.”
What have you allowed to interfere with the signal of the Word of God in your life? The demands and stresses of life with its problems and perils can all contribute to blowing our “spiritual antenna” offline. When that happens, remember that the problem is not with the source of the signal, but in how you are receiving it.
Does your Bible study seem stale? Are you having difficulty offering fervent prayer? Do you find it challenging to determine what God wants you to do? Realign your life with God and you will be ready and able to receive a clear signal!