06/30/2022
A quiet and still spirit, and a self at peace, these are commonly recognized as precursors to hearing God’s voice. Elijah knew it, Job knew it, Eliphaz the Temanite knew it, and the sons of Korah who wrote the 46th psalm knew it too. These are just a few men mentioned in God’s Holy Word who knew how to listen for Him to speak; they understood that if we seek God, and can still ourselves, we will begin to hear His voice.
““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!””
Psalm 46:10 ESV
Stilling ourselves sounds like something we should easily be able to do, but it is not. Our world is one of chaotic sound and many voices; even in the quiet places we retreat to, those places where we seek to be alone with God, we are surrounded by an uproar. The forests, mountaintops, and deepest caves… all are echoing with our own worries, prayers, and endless thoughts. But at some point each of us will experience an instant of stillness in our lives; even if it comes without our purposefully trying. In this fleeting moment we will be still, and hear nothing… then, as if from afar off we will hear the hushed sound of God’s breath as it begins to fill us, and then His voice.
“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”
1 Kings 19:12 ESV
We love to read scripture that speaks of quiet, and stillness, because it is something that is not only rare in the world, but is of great comfort to us. It is filled with the peace of God that we long so desperately for. We want to experience peace, calm, ease, and to find the perfect rest that only God can give us. Job yearned for this rest to return as he was being sifted by Satan, and each of our hearts aches for it too. Listen to his heart’s desire…
“For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,”
Job 3:13 ESV
Later, as Job lamented, Eliphaz spoke some truth to him that perhaps he had once known, but in the arms of his suffering he had lost sight of; what it felt like to hear the voice of God…
“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:”
Job 4:1 ESV
““Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it. Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:”
Job 4:12-16 ESV
Being still in the midst of our dread, sorrow, grief, anguish, anger, pain, suffering, and all the other loud voices that overcome us in the world, is more than difficult. Blocking out the clanging, shouting, and uproar, that distracts us from our quiet prayers, hearing the breath, and the low still voice of God takes much practice, and faithfulness. To become still, even for a moment requires much control, and help that comes as gifts from the Holy Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Galatians 5:22-24 ESV
We know that our bodies are the temples of God, so in them we should remain still, and silent as He speaks. Are we hearing His voice today? Are we still enough, and keeping quiet enough, that we can to recognize that it is He, who is God, that whispers to us in such a gentle way?
“But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.””
Habakkuk 2:20 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for teaching us to be still, and how to maintain a silence within ourselves that is reverent, and appropriate within our bodies… your temple. Help us to know you as we are still in your presence, and teach us to hear the sound of your breath as you are preparing to speak to us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who calms us, and gives us rest. Praised be your name for every instant of stillness in which we come to know you better, and for the quiet in our souls that allows us to hear your voice. Merciful are you whose Son Jesus entered the world from the divine quiet of the womb, and brought peace to us. All glory is yours Father, and in awe we are still in the presence of your grace as it flows forth through Christ. Wash us gently in His cleansing blood, and give us your peace as we seek eternal rest in you. Whisper to us “Be Still”, and “Be silent!”, then judge us worthy in Jesus to sit with Him before you. You rule the raging sea and still it… still me now Father that I might know you, and hush me now that I might hear your voice forevermore.
“You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.”
Psalm 89:9 ESV
Rich Forbes