Just Listen

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Devotional for June 28, 2021

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1 Kings 19:11-13 says the following:

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“Then he said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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 still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it… “

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When God spoke to Elijah, his voice could not be found in the earthquake or wind or fire, but only in a whisper. It is difficult to hear a whisper when we are surrounded by loud noises. I challenge you this week to take some time to be quiet and just listen for God’s voice. Soren Kierkegaard once said, “All my life I thought that prayer was speaking, and then I learned that prayer is listening.” What an important lesson for us all!

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As I dropped my daughters off for a week at a church camp this morning, I asked them to hand over their phones. They were a bit reluctant to do so, but I told them that taking a break from their phones would do them some good. Our phones can be incredibly convenient, but they can also be terribly distracting, and studies have shown that they are seriously limiting our ability to focus for long periods of time. Perhaps the 21st century equivalent of the command to “be still and know that I am God” might add “…by getting away from screens for a little bit!”

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I encourage you to unplug for a bit, if possible, and to set aside a brief offering of your time to God. Go for a walk, chat with a friend, tend to your garden, breathe in, breathe out, just be. May God meet you in the silence!

 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Greg