SHHH… QUITE, PLEASE

(1 Kings 19:12 ~ After the earthquake came a fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper)

In recent years, the spread of personal digital music players has resulted in concerns about hearing loss. The design of the music players and their earphones has been the target of complaints and lawsuits. Long-term exposure to music at a high volume has been shown to cause serious hearing impairment. In a sense, too much hearing can result in an inability to hear.

We live in a world filled with noise—noises designed to sell, plead, persuade, and mislead. In the midst of this cacophony of sound, it is easy to miss the one voice that matters the most.

Elijah having heard Jezebel’s threats and the voice of his own fear, fled to a cave to hide. (1 Kings 19: 1-3, 9) In the cave he was confronted with the overwhelming noise of wind, an earthquake and fire (1 Kings 19: 11-12 ~ 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. After the earthquake there came a fire, but the Lord was not on the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper). Then the cave grew silent and the voice of the Lord—the only sound that mattered—broke through as ‘a still soft voice’ (vs. 12-13).

If we are to hear God speaking to our hearts through His Word, we need to pull away from the noise of the crowd. Only when we learn to be quite can we really understand what it means to commune with God who cares for us.

In our ‘quite time’ today, let’s make an effort to listen for the voice of God. –Bill Crowder

Speak, Lord, in the stillness
While I wait on Thee;
Hushed my heart to listen
In expectancy. –Grimes

[read- 1 Kings 19:1-12]

TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE, TURN DOWN THE WORLD’S VOLUME