Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The Sound of Silence

We are constantly bombarded by sounds: people talking, children whining, babies crying, phones ringing, phones beeping, cars honking, wind blowing, trumpets roaring, dogs barking, and crickets chirping. Sound is everywhere - outside, inside, radio, TV and even the Internet. While some of it is good, of late I've just wanted to unplug.

My car is my sanctuary - I spend a lot of time in it so it becomes the place where I regroup and recharge. Normally the radio is turned on, but for the past month or more, I've made a conscious effort to ride in silence. In NY there was a 24 hr gospel music station - no such thing out here, so I'm sometimes forced to hear things I don't want to hear. While there is benefit to being culturally relevant, there are some things that I just don't care for. Even Christian radio can be overwhelming sometimes. So I've turned it all off and I like it.

The other day I found myself praying out loud, in my car, while driving. Who says your pray closet can't be your car?

Source
This silence in my car by myself, reminds me of that still small voice.

Elijah had just won his biggest victory and now his life was threatened by Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab. He was able to do what he did supernaturally, but now all of a sudden he was scared of what he thought Jezebel could do. He ran for his life. While in Beersheba, an angel ministered to him first with a cake and then with meat that was able to sustain him for 40 days.

The angel said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for thee."

Finally, the angel told Elijah to go and stand before the Lord. "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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. I Kings 19:11,12

In that still small voice, Elijah was given his next assignment.

Sometimes we are drained and need replenishing. Sometimes we have just defeated our greatest enemy and we are spent; and at this point our minds begin to play tricks on us. It is then we that we need to stop and hear what God is trying to tell us; hear where He's moving us to next. Elijah heard the voice after he left the cave and was in the presence of the Lord. On that day, in my car I felt as if I was in the presence of the Lord. It doesn't happen often, but the words just flowed out of me, after hearing His voice.

Take time to hear the still small voice.

......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. I Kings 19:11,12

Have you quieted yourself lately?




2 comments:

  1. There is a fine line between sound and noise but being still (and silent) gives you the bandwidth to really hear what God is trying to tell you. My car is where I have had some of my most compelling and memorable experiences with God.

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  2. I end up spending a lot of time thinking in my car too! It's much better to use that time then to focus on traffic and bad drivers. It is true. There is always so much noise to drown out. It's nice to just be alone with yourself now and then.

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