Do you ever wonder how you could have read through a passage so many times and never noticed a phrase that repeats, not a couple of times but seven? It's not even underlined and practically my entire Bible is underlined. I've underlined things I have no idea why I underlined them. Kind of like my filing system. Passport is under V. No v's in passport. But....I always think visa when I think passport. If I die, they're in big trouble.
Psalm 29 says the voice of the Lord is upon the waters...and it thunders. (3) It is powerful and majestic. (4) It breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. (5) Ever seen woods where a tornado has plowed through? Sixty foot trees are popped off half way up. Incredibly powerful.
The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire (7)....it shakes the wilderness.(8) It makes the deer calve and strips the forests bare (9).
I'd say that was a pretty awesome, loud, unmistakeable, breathtaking voice.
Yet Elijah heard Him in a whisper.
Jezebel had threatened to kill Elijah. (1 Kings 19) He was on his last nerve, emotionally spent after a one man show of calling down fire from heaven to burn up a water drenched altar. He ran away and hid in a cave.
"The word of The Lord came to him and He said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Then God patiently heard him out.
God told him to go stand on the mountain as He passed by. Elijah watched a strong wind rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks...but God wasn't there.
An earthquake shook the ground where Elijah was standing. He was not there. Then a fire...not there. Then the sound of a gentle blowing. And a voice came to him....I think a very gentle voice saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Does God have a still, small voice or does He speak in an awesome, thundering, earth shattering peal ?
Both. Whatever it takes.
But bottom line....He speaks.
"The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. Then He goes before them and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice." John 10:3-4
Mute God on a throne in heaven... somewhere out in space? Or a vocal God who so wanted to be known to those He created, that He sent His son to die...in their place...for their sin...so the kind of relationship He had intended from the very beginning, could be restored.
Why in the world, after going to so much trouble, would He be mute?
David heard Him loud and clear when He needed to be loud and clear. Elijah heard that still small voice when his nerves were frayed. But He clearly spoke and they knew exactly what He said because they belonged to Him.
He calls His sheep by name. Not en masse.
He went before them to lead the way. And He goes before us.
Listen....listen. And follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment