 A short time ago I learned a lesson that will remain with me always. I visited Las Vegas, and it was what I expected to see: lights, a frantic pace, noise and temptations. The next day I visited the Western Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Western Rim is remote, since the most popular tourist areas are the North and South Rims. For several hours, I had the Western Rim of the Grand Canyon to myself. The beauty of the multi colored, multi layered rocks, the depth of the Canyon, the steep cliffs, and the Colorado River below were stunning. They were also the polar opposite of what I had seen in Vegas. Vegas is man's handy work; God's fingers carved the Canyon. Vegas is base, primal and worldly. The Canyon is full of God's peace. I climbed about 500 feet down into the Canyon. There, the Canyon walls kept out the wind; I couldn't hear it blowing. I was about 1000 feet above the river; I couldn't hear it running. I heard nothing. I have never experienced such serenity, and I felt God in a way I never had before. As I gazed on His creation, I wanted to hear Him speak, so I sat on a cliff and prayed. Time passed, and I heard nothing. I waited and prayed more. Still, there was nothing. Puzzled, I sat and thought about what had happened. It was then that God spoke to me but in a different manner then I expected. God brought me to these verses in 1 Kings:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (King James Version) In these passages, the prophet Elijah is trying to experience God, and he's expecting to hear Him in the thunderous roar of a fierce windstorm, earthquake or a raging fire. However, God did not reveal Himself in them. Instead, in the silence after the chaos, God speaks to Elijah in "a still small voice." Elijah's story is why this devotion is called "Still Small Voice." We expect God to get our attention with a shout or a monumental event, but God doesn't always move mountains when He speaks. Contrary, God will often whisper when He speaks to us. That being the case, how can we hear what God's saying if we don't take the time to listen? God wants us to take time away from our hectic lives to spend with Him. Our modern world is full noise: traffic, radios, TVs, friends, family, and even our own thoughts batter the silence. Noise becomes addictive; it's difficult for us to be without it. Those of us who live in the city have lost our understanding of what quiet means. God calls us back to rest in Him. In Him, we'll find peace. In Him, we'll find comfort. In Him, we'll be refreshed. In Him, our perspectives will be reshaped. In Him, our tears are wiped away. In Him, our hurts are healed. In Him is life. We encourage you to spend quiet time with God. This devotional is a tool to help you achieve that, but it only comes out once a week; you should be doing more. Find a quiet spot where you pray and read the Bible daily. How much time you spend doing so is between God and you. Spending time with God is a wonderful way to start the day; it will give you knowledge, strength and courage for the day's challenges. We pray this becomes part of your daily routine. May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always. Have questions or comments? | Contact Us To receive SSVoice e-mails, click here | Sign Up Now SSVoice.com brought to you by: • Matt Ervin, a real swell guy, technically challenged • Josh Jeffrey, stylin’ profilin’ web daddy, groovy graphics • Sandro Iaboni, Canadian messenger, eh |
