[God] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces 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 sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
I Kings 19:11-13 

I attended a wonderful meeting this past Wednesday night as 16 of the middle school age youth in our church came out for their first youth group meeting with Leonard Mosiah, our church’s new Director of Student Ministries. And for one of the few times in six months of meetings with this group of youth, when it was time in the night for us to focus on God’s Word from the Bible, I wasn’t leading the discussion. Leonard talked with the young people about the subject of prayer. And he chose a story about Elijah – a story from I Kings 19.

One lesson we can learn from the life of the prophet Elijah is where to hear God speak. Our world is filled with noise and commotion, but that may not be where God is choosing to speak to us. One day, God didn’t speak to God’s servant Elijah in the big ways – an earthquake, whirlwind, or fire. God spoke to Elijah in “sheer silence” (or as another English translation puts it “a still, small voice”) as Elijah calmed down and listened. We can all calm down, and hopefully listen.

Prayer

Dear God, let me slow down my life today so that I can hear you speak to me as you choose. Lead me today and each day. Amen.