Still Small Voice

"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

The other day a friend made a comment about how I hear from God all the time. I was kind of surprised, because I don't. I wish I did. I miss most of what He is saying. I have screamed at Him to speak to me when I can't hear His voice and I want to. I told her that I don't hear His voice as much as she thinks, and often I have to hear Him through others. It isn't always so much a voice that I hear, but sometimes it is.

Then yesterday I read about how He is the still small voice in a devotional about the names of God. I smiled, because that is Him talking too. The devotional had me read a passage from 1 Kings 19 about Elijah when he ran away and hid in the cave. God speaks to him, asks him why he is there, and tells him to go out of the cave as He passes by. Now in the Old Testament people weren't supposed to see God. Only a few, like Moses, were allowed to see Him. Interestingly, Elijah does NOT go out onto the mountain like God told him to, but that's not the point today.

A wind, an earthquake, and a fire all pass by the mountain. Doing there damage and probably scaring Elijah out of his sandals. But God wasn't in any of those catastrophes. He came after, in a still small voice. That is when Elijah pulls his cloak over his face, remember he can't look upon God, and he goes to the mouth of the cave. He was again asked Elijah again why is he there.

I get so caught up focusing on the storms in my life that seem to pull me apart. I get so caught up on  the earthquakes that shake me at my roots. I get so caught up on the fire and trying to keep myself from being burned up by it. God isn't in those, oh He uses those to pull some stuff, shake some stuff, and burn off some stuff that I don't need in my life, but He isn't in them.

In Elijah's case He was making a point that He isn't all that loud stuff, He is a still small voice. For us, He speaks right through those things. His still small voice can pierce them and I can hear it. If I focus on the upheaval in my life and keep my eyes and ears focused on it then it is hard for me to hear Him. But He is speaking. His voice can penetrate the hardest heart and the loudest storm, but I have to listen for it. I have to ignore the stuff and listen, intently and patiently, to hear it. He is speaking. He is speaking to me right now.

He is speaking to you right now. As hard as it is, and it is very hard, take your mind, emotions, eyes, and ears off the storm as listen for the still small voice. You might not hear it right away. You might have to listen for a long time. But listen, don't speak. There is a time for speaking, a time to pray. but right now He wants you to listen. He wants you to hear Him. The still small voice is speaking.

(I don't know who this is for, but I know He is speaking it to someone right now. I hope you will take this moment and be quiet and listen.)

Blind to the Truth

"Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:17

Sometimes I can't for the life of me figure out how people can't see the Truth. It frustrates me. I get exasperated, and I start being judgmental. I need to check myself when that happens. I can let go of the judgmental part, but I still try to wrap my brain around why they don't see the Truth.

Then I read this verse and He explains it. People who don't have the Holy Spirit can't see the Truth. They don't even know the Truth. (Mind flashed to A Few Good Men "you can't handle the truth". Sorry!) Not only do they not see Him or know Him they can't even receive Him. That is a very saddening thought to me.

This also makes me wonder about myself and other Christians who do know the Spirit. So we know Him, yet there are times, sometimes many times, when we don't see the Truth. There are times when I believe a lie. I mean really believe it to be Truth. Why do I do that? What makes me not see the Truth?

I guess it is because even though He dwells in me sometimes I don't dwell in Him. Sometimes I would rather  believe the easy, the flattering, or just simply my selfish wants and desires. What I need to do is dwell in Him and then instead of other things seeming as the Truth I will know the Truth.