He has spoken through the Prophets

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

Walter, a nursing assistant on my staff, was in the middle of his complaint when I entered the room. "Life has no purpose," he said.

I slipped into my seat at the table where the rest of the day crew waited for the night nurse to join us for change-of-shift report.

"It's meaningless," he continued. "We live, and then we die."

I'm not usually at a loss for words, but this time was different. I knew Walter claimed to be an atheist, but I puzzled why a 20-year-old man held such somber sentiments about life. By the time I recovered enough to introduce my opinion into the gloom hovering about us, the night nurse breezed through the door, sat down and began the summary of her patients. I held my tongue -- and kicked myself for letting the opportunity with Walter slip by.

As her report wound to a close, the door behind me opened. Without looking up, I knew it was the hospital chaplain. He joined us each morning for a brief reading of Scripture and prayer. He took his seat behind me and waited for the nurse to conclude. When she stood to leave, I invited those who wanted to stay for the meditation to remain. As I expected, Walter left.

"I had planned to read something else," Chaplain Bernard started, "but earlier this morning, I decided to share thoughts about this passage, instead."

I recognized Psalm 139 as soon as he started reading. I shifted in my chair and stared at him, keenly aware God had orchestrated the change of his text.

"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. . . If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me . . . You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:1-3, 8-10, 13 NASB).

The silence that followed when he closed the Bible and finished his prayer lasted only a moment. It seemed like a week. Finally, another nursing assistant said, "It's too bad Walter wasn't here to hear that."

I regret that he, and those who left the room with him, didn't hear the Holy Spirit's response to Walter's desperate world-view. Life does have purpose -- because the Triune God has a personal hand in our lives.

But, I wonder if it would have mattered to Walter.

Throughout history, the Holy Spirit has spoken to humanity through His prophets and apostles. But for those like Walter who reject the supernatural or scoff at the idea that God communicates through Scripture, the words of the prophets and apostles are no different from the words we read in our newspaper.

It's no wonder the Walters of the world think life has no purpose or hope.

When we recite: "We believe in the Holy Spirit . . . He has spoken through the prophets," we do more than express our conviction that the words of Scripture are divinely inspired. We confess our confidence that the Holy Spirit still speaks through those same prophets and apostles, and that His words give all who believe hope in despair, guidance in confusion, peace in turmoil.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I believe You spoke through the prophets. Increase my faith to believe You speak to me through the Scriptures. Increase my sensitivity to Your voice and my obedience to follow You into truth. Amen.

Life Applications:

How does it feel to suffer "spiritual loneliness"?
Why do you think that Jesus chose to suffer for our sins?
What do the words of the Nicene Creed say to you?

Richard Maffeo is the author of We Believe: Forty Mediations on the Nicene Creed. Available at www.RichMaffeoBooks.com or at bookstores everywhere.