The Still Small Voice

Listening to the winds of Hurricane Sandy brought this to mind just now. When Elijah was on the mountain in the cave hiding out of fear of Jezebel and her forces, a very tired possibly discouraged or despairing Elijah needed the reassurance that his God was more than a word on a scroll, greater than a hero in a story.

Elijah didn't seek out this reassurance, but his all knowing God in heaven knew Elijah's true need at that moment. It wasn't a hiding place from evil people - what he needed was a confirmation that his life spent as a prophet of God wasn't for nothin'. Wasn't just another life to be snuffed out by an enemy of Jehovah. Not a dot on the immensity of time, nor a mindless tool of a puppeteer god. No, an A grade was not what Elijah needed. God wanted Elijah to know that he was of more worth to God than all the rubies, gems, precious metals, any and all treasures ever to be seen by man. God gave him a gift of Himself. And this gift was given in an extraordinary way.

God brought him out onto the face of the mountain - an experience which was incredible in its own way - man against a mountain. Then God passed by Elijah! The New American Standard Version actually includes an exclamation point after that sentence - underscoring the significance of that moment. There was a great wind that ripped by Elijah - who was no doubt being protected in a supernatural way by God from this windstorm - it was so fierce it must have sounded like 10 x 10 times squared the roar I'm hearing outside my window now. The wind shattered and imploded parts of the rock face all around Elijah. He already knew God to be of infinite power and yet it was being demonstrated again. Then an earthquake occurred that shook the very foundation of the huge mountain, and still Elijah is protected and sees and experiences God's omnipotence first hand without a single bone being damaged! After the earthquake, a fire - a consuming force that could 'eat' its victims in a moment. God must have pushed Elijah back away from the fire into the mouth of the cave, for we next read that Elijah emerges from the cave again. Yet God did not make Himself known to Elijah in any of these all powerful occurrences. These were God's calling card, so to speak, to get Elijah's attention for the real encounter God would have with him. It was in an intimate whisper - a still small voice - that God made himself known to Elijah. God brought Elijah into a personal relationship with Himself, a moment in time like no other Elijah had known where he - a mere man - was allowed to commune with God. God saw through Elijah's fear, frustration, and despair, transporting him to a place of complete contentment that he would experience with God. From that point forward Elijah would grow in relationship with God in a special way until the time he would be taken up into heaven to never experience death like every other human has.

We often want God to make Himself known to us in big ways - a huge material blessing or a huge healing. And He may do that if that is His will and method for getting our attention. A whisper, though, requires one to get close enough to utter it and the hearer close enough to hear it. God chose to make Himself known to Elijah at this time in his life in such a way. It is always in a personal way that we come to best know God and experience who He truly is. We can experience the omnipotence of God in glorious and wondrous ways, yet the encounter God knows we need is a personal one with Him. So God still speaks in a 'still small voice, in a whisper', to his servants. He still sets as His ultimate goal for us a close, personal relationship with Him. His Spirit in us testifies to us of this intimacy. He whispers to us through His Word, in silent moments of meditation and prayer in which we are reassured of His presence in our life and circumstances. Obviously, His omnipotence is certainly representative in the thrashing of the winds and the copious downpours. Yet, it is the intimacy with Him that He seeks with us where we really 'see' God and know His love for us. A close and trusting relationship that we can count on for the rest of our lives. A true peace and joy that knows I am His and that I can enjoy His best for me forever.

God, I will praise you in this storm, for I know You and You know who I am. (borrowed from the hymn by Casting Crowns "Praise You in This Storm")

Metro Area Rattles and Rolls - A look back one year later

August 23, 2011 -- A Chit-Chat with God

What about that earthquake? Wow! Can you remember what you were doing when it struck? Did you feel like “weebles” – you know, “weebles wobble but they don’t fall down”? Did you thank God for the chit chat?

Looking at the Richter scale level of 5.8, and looking at the damage caused by such intensity, prayer was so called for. The fall to your knees kind of prayer, as many of us did, in deep gratitude that where we live we were not more seriously impacted. Earlier this year, an earthquake rated at 5.8 shook a part of China; 14 were reported dead. Three points higher – at 6.1, also earlier this year, reported by the Central American Adventist University in Costa Rica – initial indications were that dozens of people were missing, and life resources were challenged. The National Cathedral was damaged – the tops of the pillars on the tower falling down and cracks in several places. The Washington Monument did not fall, but it suffered major serious cracks. We can be thankful that, generally speaking and comparatively, there was no life-threatening injury report, even though some inconveniences and property damage, and that the damage was not as excessive and broad a scope as in those other locations.

We can also be thankful for the jolt.

Students of the Bible know that God will use whatever means necessary to capture the attention of people. He has declared in no uncertain terms that He does not desire for any to die because of failure to know Him and become saved (John 3:16-18). As I was meandering through the human congestion on the sidewalks and in the streets caused by all of the office buildings being evacuated shortly after the major shaking ended, I spoke to a couple of people who were so bewildered and clearly shaken spiritually – i.e., beyond the physical experience, and some spoke to it being God’s wake up call. It was a similar discussion I had with a supermarket cashier some days earlier – God keeps pursuing us, seeking to get our attention. Because we in the Western Hemisphere value very highly the security of our comforts that we pay dearly for with our credit cards and crazy work schedules, God often jars us where we feel the most secure. And yesterday was no exception.

The thing is, though, if you’ve been paying attention, you will realize that God has been trying to get our attention for a long time. The subtle approach captured the attention of some. God is faithful – He’ll use less subtle means (e.g., earthquakes and severe weather) if necessary to get our attention so that we can make a choice. Jesus declared that we living in the last days would experience these geophysical and atmospheric disruptions (and also with some spiritual applications) on an increasingly frequent and broadening scale, not only to signal what time it is but also to alert us and get our attention. (Matthew 24 and 25, Joel 2; Isaiah 13:13; Amos 9:1; Haggai 2:6-7; Luke 21:26) So, like, how is it working for you?

At last night’s Bible study, we reviewed again God’s words in Paul’s inspired message to the church at Philippi, found in chapter 4. If one is a believer who has experienced the saving grace of God, who has been born again, i.e., baptized by and indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit and brought into the family of God, then every breath and action is one of praise and thanksgiving. We can rejoice, and must become persons who rejoice in the Lord because of what He has saved us out of and has saved us from moment by moment. Because of who He is. The expression “but for the Grace of God” takes on sober meaning to such persons who live knowing that they are in the presence of God with each breath we take. Believers know the truth of God’s promise in Romans 8:28 (which is one of the summary statements of the previous verses in that passage about who we are in Christ) that God will cause everything to work out to our good for those who love God and who are called according to His purpose – even when we can’t see past the moment, God has seen our future. We can thank God that He has not lost interest in us, but at each and every turn, He reminds us who He is so that we can know who we are. He will use any means necessary to get our attention. Thanks be to God!

In fact, we can be reassured that once we have been saved by God and brought into His spiritual family, that He will not allow His love for us to be canceled out or absented from us due to external or even internal circumstances (see Romans 8:35-39). The psalmist acknowledged that even though he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he could be assured that he would not be destroyed by evil, but that God will continue to be with him. (Psalm 23) God taught Habakkuk not to complain about how He worked out His saving grace and plan for salvation. (Book of Habakkuk) As the Most High Almighty God, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His plans and ways more sure than ours could ever be. God’s lesson to Habakkuk, and subsequently to us, is to learn to trust our Heavenly Father even if everything around us falls or fails. The apostle Paul cited his many trials and near death experiences on account of the Gospel of Christ, learning through those crises who God is and what His grace does on behalf of believers. (see 2 Corinthians 4:7, 8; 12:1-10)

God has fully revealed Himself to us so that we know what we need to know about Him to trust him, to believe, and to respond, and like that, see our life and times from His perspective (see 2 Peter 1:2-4), and He implores us to become reconciled to Him - that is His greatest cause for us, cautioning that this invitation has an expiration date. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; Mark 13:19-21; 2 Peter 3:8-10)

As like with many other occasions, whether or not we were paying attention, God reached out to us yesterday. He sought to get our attention. He invited us to “chit chat”, to respond to His seeking. Some of us have responded to a gentle call, like Jesus at the sea calling out to the fishermen who would be His disciples. Some of us have required more stern communication, a la Job or Jonah, or even Saul of Tarsus. He will shake up our norm, our comforts and security; He will rock our world to its very core, if that is what it takes. No one will be able to say on that Day - the apocalyptic Day of the Lord that is coming - that they did not know! Has anyone recently asked you to pray for them? God has gotten their attention. Keep praying for them. Has anyone said they need to study the Bible? God has gotten their attention. Invite them and/or bring them to a Bible study. Has someone become aware of a need to worship? God has gotten their attention. Show them how. And rejoice, again I say rejoice, for the privilege to honor God and give thanks for every jolt we receive that keeps us focused on God.

God’s favor be with all of you. Thanks be to God!