Obnoxious Commercials & God’s Ways

Maybe you too have been annoyed by the loud commercials that explode onto your TV while you’re watching your favorite program. The commercials insist on our attention and force their message on its captive audience. Do you need a lawyer to represent you? I’m sure you do, so call now! How about some newly improved garbage bags to enhance the quality of your life and rid you of the inconvenience of collapsing bags? Some of us have become quite adept at using the mute button, but even that can’t hide the visual effect of some commercials. Even the Senate has been called on to help out with this daily irritation. Some sage politician has put a bill before the Senate to force TV advertisers to lower the volume of their advertisements to a normal level.

God’s communications methods are in extreme contrast, God speaks gently and quietly to us. He never insists on our attention or pushes his way into our home. He stands quietly waiting at the door to be invited in. And when he is invited in, he meekly and gently invites us to choose to give him our attention. He doesn’t raise his voice or shout for our attention.

And God never pushes us to “buy” something that we clearly don’t need. Yes, he has the greatest treasure available to man and offers solutions to every single problem. But he’s put his offer in a book that we choose to pick up; and we choose to read; and we choose to search. And he comes close when we are in need and waits for us to invite his help.

This really puts the onus on me to seek him out and to listen to his whisper. His counsel is a valuable resource available to me at the cost of listening time and quiet exploration of his Word. He’s always ready with a word of encouragement, but waits in the periphery for me to seek him out. He has the greatest plans for my life and ministry, but never shoves them in my face. He waits for me to seek his counsel.

This also puts the onus on me to represent God’s invitation appropriately to other people without loud insistence and high powered salesman tactics. I know who the Treasure is and I know he’s more valuable than anything any person could pursue here on earth. As God’s representative I can help others to discover the treasure for themselves without pushing past the present level of interest and without intimidation. No loud Gospel commercials, just patient discussion and gentle answers.

We know what annoys us about commercials and we know what delights us about God. I revel in God’s ways and long to be quickly responsive to his quiet voice. And I pray that no one needs to propose a bill to God to quiet those obnoxious noisy Christians.