Thursday, March 12, 2009

quiet gentle sound, still small voice

NCV calls it a quiet gentle sound. King James calls it a still small voice.
What sound? What voice? It was God!

1Kings 19: 11-13
11)The LORD said to Elijah, " Go, stand in front of me on the mountain and I will pass by you."
Then a very strong wind blew until it caused mountains to fall apart and large rocks to break in front of 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. 12)After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle sound. 13)When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice said to him, "Elijah! Why are you here?"

So the mountains are falling apart, rocks are breaking, the earth is shaking, and fire breaks out! God could have chosen any of these things to show his power as he spoke to Elijah. HE chose to speak to Elijah quietly, gently. Like a mother speaks to her child after a nightmare. That is just how Elijah was feeling. Scared and alone. Elijah was frightened. God doesn't have to be loud, HE doesn't have to be seen or heard. HE can and will be but, The LORD is content to be quiet and gentle when HE needs to be.
God doesn't stop at being quiet and gentle, HE then asks Elijah ..why are you here? God wants to hear us, and quiet our fears, answer our prayers, and just love us.
In my calling, though loud and active may be necessary, I should never forget that quiet and gentle can be more powerful.
Please share your thoughts if you can.

2 comments:

Mandy said...

I am trying to decide if this really happened of if it was a vision in a dream. Elijah is slumbering when the Angel comes to him. He is running in fear of his life. After the miracle of the fire and God proving his power - Elijah still flees for his life in fear. I feel like God is questioning Elijah's distrust here. God told Elijah to stand in front of Him on the mountain - yet somehow Elijah was so frieghtened that he ended up inside the cave. He didn't trust God and I feel like maybe God might have felt the sting of that distrust. Then to say "Why are you here" as if to say - if you don't trust me fully Elijah - why even bother being in my presence. That's what I read in this passage. Notice also that verses 9-10 and 13-14 are EXACTLY the same - not only does God speak to Elijah in a still small voice - HE does it twice - that's got to be significant. I am going to pray for revelation on this passage for you and for me. Read Chapter 18 and you will find more understanding into this - hopefully. Pray that all is well with you and your bunch.

m@ndy said...

God must really have this circle in tune this week! Seems like we are all trying to master hearing from God!! My son was asked by a teacher this week, "Tyler, why are you even here?". I think he meant why are you here in my math class. Though my son chose to take it as if his math teacher was questioning his existence. I think I covered it pretty well and gave him many wonderful reasons God has him here. But I think that next week during spring break we will disect this scripture together. Funny God always reflects lessons I need to learn through my children.
Thanks for posting this, it really ministered to me. And your right sometimes quiet and gentle CAN be more powerful!