Enter the Quiet

“Let us be silent, so that we may hear the whisper of God” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

 “His voice is the whisper after the noise” (Kalley Heiligenthal)

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 came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”

 (1 Kings 19:11-12)

For Elijah, God was not to be found in the noise – the noise of the wind, the earthquake or the fire. God was found in the gentle whisper. Elijah expected to find Him in the noise. He was on the mountain where God had appeared with thunder and lightening to give the Ten commandments to Moses. This time God was not in the noise but in the quiet. What Elijah needed most was not a dramatic display of God’s power and might but encouragement and strength through a quiet conversation with God.

After the noise of our day God is waiting to be heard. His voice is still that gentle whisper, that still small voice. Our life may be jammed packed with noisy days and noisy distractions but when we step aside from the noise to soak and rest in His presence, we will hear Him. When we quieten our soul we can create a space that lets us hear His whisper. And we find that the peace of God comes. The peace that calms our anxieties, dispels our fears and stills our busy soul. We receive encouragement and wisdom to keep going.

A whisper is an invitation to lean in, to draw near. It is intimate and private. It creates a secret space – a sacred space. In quiet awe, in private communion our weary soul finds rest and refreshment. The soul takes to heart the call of God to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

“Make time for quiet moments, as God whispers and the world is loud.” (Unknown)