Sssshhhh, Can You Hear That?

My last blog entry took a turn from what I had planned.  So here is the original entry.  Enjoy and I pray you are blessed.

1 Kings 19:11-12) And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.  And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind;  and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire;  and after the fire (a sound of gentle stillness and) a still, small voice.

This is absolutely one of my favorite Bible verses!  It offers such visual power.  The basic point of the verse is that God often speaks in the quietness.  I think of the times when I am desperately seeking an answer from the Lord and how badly I want a loud answer.  I want something loud and dramatic to happen so I can be sure it was the Lord I heard. 

The hardest times in my life the Lord has quietly walked me though them and is still quietly walking me though them.  I have found that Satan is much louder.  Satan is noisy.  His goal is to distract us from the Lord's quiet presence or gentle guidance.  If Satan can be noisy enough we will miss the still, small voice of God.  I think back and I can't even pin point what God did at certain times.  He just was there guiding, comforting, strengthening in a quiet manner.

Generally speaking us humans love drama.  Why are there so  many T.V. shows following celebrities or why do news outlets only cover negative stories that have the wow factor?  Our human nature craves drama.  Because of this I think God should too communicate in a loud obvious manner.  Have you ever been in a room of people and there is a loud person that demands all the attention than you notice the quiet person who is taking it all in?  Often times it is that person who is the wisest and whom you can learn the most from.  I like to think of God in that manner.  He loves when we ask Him questions and quiet ourselves long enough to hear Him.  He has all kinds of wisdom to share with us.

I believe God wants us to take time to quiet ourselves before Him.  Life is so loud.  I will not say that God is not able to break through the loudness to reach us...He is.  He is able to do ANYTHING.  In my own life I have found that He chooses not to reach me this way, but in the times I turn off life and study Him, talk to Him, and listen to Him.  I encourage you to take time to look for the Lord in the small things.  His blessings are everywhere.  He is there waiting for us to listen for Him.