pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: small voice


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Draw Near

Reading: 1 Kings 19: 1-15a

Noise seems an almost constant.  We are always “on” – connected through our cell phones, computers, and tablets.  Media is an ever present companion.  At points we come to long for a little silence, for a break from all the noise.  Even as I sit here in the relative quiet of the early morning, I can hear birds chirping.  It is nice noise.  And I can also hear vehicle after vehicle driving on the highway.

Elijah’s life had been a whirlwind of activity.  His dealings with Ahab and Jezebel had been loud and confrontational.  Elijah has just defeated the prophets of Baal and has had them all killed.  Word of this has brought threat to his life from Jezebel.  In the midst of this, Elijah flees to the wilderness.  He is seeking solitude and safety.  But in the desert his fear and worry become the noise he hears.  He is exhausted physically and emotionally and is prepared to die.

How often does our busyness consume us?  How often does it seem like life is just one thing after another?  With work, family, social, and other responsibilities it seems like sleep is our only respite.  Then that is restless too as our mind is filled with all we need to get done tomorrow.  Even if we manage a little quiet time, the noise of our minds – stress, worry, anxiety, … – seizes our focus and draws us away from our prayer or Bible focus.

God too Elijah out into the wilderness.  He did not find God in the wind, fire, or earthquake.  Elijah found God in the still, small voice, in the whisper.  Today, may we too find God in the quiet.  May we slow down and draw near to God today.


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Self-Examination

The scriptures read, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven… a time to be silent…” ( Ecclesiastes 3: 1 and 7b). It is in the silence sometimes that we can best hear God.

It is very hard to hear His still, small voice over the ruckus of daily living.  Even when I am all alone in the quiet of the early morning hours and I sit down to pray, the mind races.  I cannot very easily force myself to be still for very long, to allow a space for God to speak.  It is never very long before a thought pops in.

We all desire a deep connection with God.  So, what is it that holds us back?  Part of it in me is the compulsion to do.  There is always the next task to accomplish.  This very thought betrays my lack of trust in God as provider.  Yet it goes deeper than that.

A part of me also fears what I might hear.  By providing enough time and space for God to speak might mean He actually does speak.  Because I really like to be in control of my life, I fear what He might say.  What God might speak into my life may force change, it may challenge me, it may push me into uncomfortable territory, it may cause me to really pour myself into His will.  This is also really a matter of trust.  I pray, Lord God, help me to trust.

When we are open and honest with it, there is much God will reveal.  May this season of Lent be a fruitful season of self-examination for your faith as well.

Scripture reference: Psalm 19: 1-6


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Can You Hear Me?

In 1st Samuel 3 the Lord God called out to Samuel three times.  Finally Eli realized that it was God calling out to Samuel and he instructed Samuel to lay down and respond to God the next time He called out.  The young Samuel did not discern that it was God’s voice that he was hearing.

In our day and age, when there is so much noise all around us, it too can be hard to discern the voice of God when He calls out to us.  At times it is so easy to hit the snooze button, to plop down in front of the television, to read a magazine instead.  On other occasions it is easier to cross over to the other side of the street, to simply look away, or to make some excuse.

There is a reason though that God most often speaks in a still, small voice.  It is so that we have to be paying attention to hear and so that we have to make it our choice to respond.  God is a god of love.  In love, there is no forcing the issue.  There is only that still, small voice calling out to us.  Sometimes it is even hidden in the eyes of one in need or in the words of a friend.  Sometimes it is of the Spirit.  In all cases we must be listening and we must reply as Samuel did: “Speak Lord, you servant is listening.”

Scripture reference: 1 Samuel 3: 1-9