White Noise:

1 Kings 19:11-13
 ¹¹ 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. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. 

   Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 

Noise.  There is never a shortage.  Even right now as I write I hear music playing in the background, my baby cooing as she plays, the sound of the tea kettle boiling water, construction outside my window...we're constantly surrounded by noise.  Beautiful noises at times, annoying ones at others- yet no matter where we turn we can't escape it.


Last night at church we were discussing the topic of hearing God...listening for His voice in our lives.  We have a tendency to try and speak over Him in how we live.  Our prayer lives are reflective of that to be sure.  Lot's of talking going on...with very little listening.

But even for those of us who are desperately trying to listen- it doesn't always come easy.  We are bombarded by the loud hush of noises...each one doing its part in drowning Him out.  And as Elijah found out, His voice doesn't always come amongst the loudness of this world.

Wouldn't that be just like our God?  He comes in the quiet.  He comes when no one expects it.  In the quietness of a gentle whisper, in the subtlety of a little babe in a manger, in the humility of an uneducated carpenter.  No parades.  No banners.  No trumpets blaring.  He comes to the silence...hoping to find us there as well.  Hoping that we will leave the seduction of all the noises in our lives to meet Him.

I don't know about you but I find this a very daunting task.  It's hard to get away and get alone.  Sometimes entering the silence can be a scary thing...we're so comfortable with the noise.  Because sometimes, the silence can bring out in us things we were hoping to muffle through the noise in our lives.   

Join me in taking the risk of entering the silence...away from the distractions of this world.  Join me in taking steps into solitude and peace...watching, waiting to hear His voice.  Join me as we let the winds, the fire, and the earthquakes pass...and wait for His gentle whisper.


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Check out Rob Bell's video and his thoughts on tuning out the noise in our lives: