1 Kings 19:11 - 13: "The LORD said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave."
When Elijah heard the gentle whisper, he knew he was in the presence of the LORD. I'm not so sure I would have reacted the same way. I probably would have expected Him in the wind, the earthquake, and the fire because He is a mighty God.
Recently, my aunt, uncle, cousin and her husband stayed the night with us. As my aunt and I were talking, I could also hear my husband's conversation with my uncle a few feet away from us. I had to focus more on my aunt's quieter voice and block out the men's louder voices. I then realized I need to do the same thing with the LORD because He does speak in a still, small voice. I need to block out life's noises, such as politics, tv, or anything else distracting, and focus on Him.
I'll admit I haven't been focusing on God like I should. I've let life interfere. I've drowned out His voice with my own and as a result, I feel empty. The good news though is that He is waiting for me to turn my attention to Him. I can't wait to hear what He has to say.
What about you? Do you hear the gentle whisper or just the noise?
6 comments:
Ah yes, the sanctifying power of silence...
Thank you, Joanna.
Selah
what a beautiful reminder to be still and know that he is God. I love how God gives us lessons in our everyday lives, you having to listen closely to hear your aunt.
Diane
Too many say that God only speaks to us through His Word, but the Bible is full of examples of God speaking to the soul directly. Thanks for the reminder and instruction, Joanna.
Good message, Joanna.
For techie minded people, it's all about increasing the signal to noise ratio: Hearing God's signal by blocking out the noise.
Susan
Thank you all for your comments. I find that God speaks to me lately through everyday interactions, whether through a conversation, my kids, and so on.
I'll be careful what I say to you, then.
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