A Still Small Voice

I attended a wonderful worship service today. I enjoyed it very much and the message really spoke to my heart and life. The pastor talked about the story recorded in 1 Kings about the contest between the followers of Baal and the prophet Elijah. The people of Israel had turned away from God and followed the false god of Baal. Elijah was the last prophet of the Lord left. God calls him to speak God's Truth in the face of persecution and possibly even execution.
Elijah answers God's call and there is a wonderful scene where the prophets of Baal pray and cry out and even cut themselves as an act of worship to this false God in order to get Baal to send down fire on an altar of sacrifice. Of course, Baal doesn't send fire because Baal doesn't exist. Then Elijah lays out an altar of twelve stones and places the sacrificed meat on the altar. Then he orders that the altar be drenched with water as well as a trench dug around the altar and filled with water. Then, Elijah prays and God sends down fire and burns up the offering and the rocks and all the water in the trench is dried up.
Elijah then orders the prophets of Baal to be killed. This gets Jezebel, the Queen of Israel, mad at Elijah and she wants him dead. Elijah flees and ends up hiding in a cave. This is where we find Elijah in verses 11 and 12. He has been running and he is scared and he feels alone.
God then calls to him in the cave and tells him to get up and stand on the mountain to see God pass by. A very strong wind or storm blows through but God is not in the wind. Then an earthquake rumbles the earth but God is not in the earthquake. Then a fire breaks out but God is not in the fire. Finally, God speaks to Elijah in the gentle whisper of a still small voice.
The pastor at the church attended today reminded us that God often speaks to us in quiet ways but we have to be listening. We have to be taking time to listen to what God is saying. We have to be willing just to be in God's presence. While our temptation is to do all the talking when we pray, God also has blessings for us when we are still and quiet and ready to receive.
This was a good message for me to hear. I have felt like I've been going full speed ahead in my new job and now in my new apartment. I feel like I've not really taken the time to stop and listen and really hear what God is saying to me. I am all too eager to have quiet days to watch movies but I have not taken much time to really be present for God and to listen to the still small voice that calls me.
You might find yourself in the same kind of situation. Many of us hit the ground running each morning and we never really stop to listen to the voice of God. It seems like our world is spinning faster and faster and life just doesn't slow down. I know this was true when I was serving in the local church. I was often so busy DOING the work of the church that I found it hard to slow down and just BE present to God.
So, this week, I am going to intentionally take time just to be in God's presence. I want to be a better listener. I want to tune into the voice of God in my life. I want to always go deeper in my relationship with the God who loves me and will never stop calling my name.
I hope you've had a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!