"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads you into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him,
because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and
later will be in you." John 14:16-17
As I was reading a certain inspirational book about
seashells a disturbing question kept arising in my thoughts. Where is God in
all of this? Where does the Bible fit in
this? There was fascinating information about the symbolism of seashells and
how we can “read” them and learn from them. I really enjoyed the book but at
the end I discerned something was missing. Little did I realize that some people
actually use seashells for divination reading. I’m not sure the author was
actually trying to accomplish that but one thing was for certain: God and the
Word were pretty much absent. There was not much connecting of the symbolism
and lessons we could learn and how to incorporate them into our spiritual
lives. Those seashell readings could not address the effects of sin and its
cure or offer help for broken relationships. It was basically how to understand
your life by reading the shells.
Some of my Muslim and MBB friends are vulnerable in
being seduced by the metaphysical arts. They love to read horoscopes, palm
lines, tarot cards, tea leaves, coffee grinds, numbers, omens, pendulum swings,
engage in fal and istikhara of either poets’ books or by using the Qur’an, and
depend on dream interpretation books and certain self-help books. They know -
at least I think they know - that these readings are considered haram or
forbidden in Islam, but there is such a seductive fascination of engaging in
these arts which many find irresistible.
Sometimes they gather together for fun and engage in readings. A lady in
the community usually displays more than normal ability to read and interpret
what they are playing.
When I try to explain there is a higher source than
their interpretation books or “readers” they don’t seem very interested. They
are hooked on their community reader and their books because they have fears
and anxieties of the unknown and are desperate to know how to be safe or have a
measure of control in their lives. They are vigilant of whoever or whatever
might bring “bad energy” into their lives. Or they engage in these “readings”
just for entertainment. Some believer friends have not yet been able to see
through the seduction of these arts. I keep trying to take them to what the
Bible says about the Holy Spirit and that He can successfully and accurately
read all our situations perfectly. We can go directly to Him. He will tell us
what to do. “Good energy” always flows from Him because He is the Source of all
energy – of Life itself. But He requires
faith from us. They have to be introduced to the Holy Spirit. They don’t know
Him.
Dear heavenly Father, when I read Your Word, You show
me what I need to know or to be reassured of. Thank You! Help me to model
walking by faith and not by sight. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.
