In the quiet

How often do you listen to silence? Think of yourself walking to the bus stop: you are plugged into your iPod. Even if you're not, the sound of traffic is a constant, the chatter of your classmates, incessent. Think of yourself eating dinner: the television is on in the background, the clatter of your cutlery against the plate. Think of yourself right now: music blasting from the speakers, MSN 'badadums' (alert sounds) every 2 seconds, your fingers dancing across the keyboard, going TAK TAK TAK TAK. Every single day we are surrounded by all this noise. How do we expect to hear God's voice?

I always hear people asking the Lord for some sort of sign, praying that the Lord tell them what to do when the encounter a problem. My question would then be: are you listening?

If you are perpetually engulfed by all this background noise: traffic, chatter, television, music, how do you expect to be able to hear God? Even if he yells, His gentle voice be overwhelmed by your rocking music. It was only in the quiet when Abraham heard God calling out to him, and it will only be in the quiet when you will truly hear His voice.

So just be quiet for a while. I challenge you. Take a step back and listen to His voice.
Turn off the music playing in the background. Turn off the fan whirring behind you. Close the doors and bask in the silence.

1 KINGS 19:11-12, told of a time when the prophet Elijiah was told to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. 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" And there the Lord was.

It is not in the huge, dramatic, overbearing things that the Lord resides, but in the stillness and quietness. Be silent and listen to God's calling. Because He IS talking to you and has been ever since you were born. Say, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening" and truly be LISTENING.

Be open to whatever God may suggest and remember that we are all His servants and we should go wherever He calls, but for us to hear His call, we must be in the quiet.


-Sandra