The Still Small Voice

Tonight as I put the girls to bed I had a wonderful conversation with them about the presence of God. I just wanted to share with you the truth that struck me as so simple, and yet so profound.

Lately I have been trying to get my girls to understand that when we pray, it is like talking to Jesus. I want them to understand that we don't just pray with them as a nice bedtime routine. I have been trying to explain to Alanna what it is like to feel the presence of God in your heart. How do you describe to a 7 year old what the peace of God feels like? Or how the Holy Spirit can move on your heart? These abstract concepts are so vital for our walk with God that I tremble at the thought of somehow not teaching my children how to experience God for themselves.

As I was trying to explain to the girls the stillness that God brings to your heart when you pray, a story came to mind. The story of Elijah and the presence of God. Elijah was hiding from Jezebel when God shows up. First, there was a mighty wind that tore at the mountain, but God wasn't in the raging wind. Then there was an earthquake that shook the very ground Elijah stood on, but God wasn't in the earthquake. Next there was a fire that could consume in a minute with it's mighty heat, but God wasn't in the fire. God is almighty, all consuming, he can do anything, be anything, but he chose not reveal his presence in these powerful forces. Finally, Elijah heard a still small voice. It was when he heard the gentle voice, that Elijah stepped out from where he was hiding and spoke directly with God. He found God in the stillness, in a quiet place.

As I related this story to the girls I asked myself "why would God choose a still small voice?" He could choose to reveal himself in anything, why in a whisper? In my heart of hearts I knew why, but I had never tried to simplify it for a child to understand. So I explained it the only way I knew how.

I was telling the girls that God's voice is like a gentle whisper that calls to you. I was talking in a hushed voice for affect. I explained that God could shout if he wanted to. He could make it really easy for anyone to hear him by yelling out to us, but he chooses to whisper to our hearts. I related God's still small voice to our "secrets" game. You see, as a family, we have great fun telling each other "secrets". We will cup our hand over our mouth and tell one of the girls that we have a secret for them. Their eyes light up and they come running over to hear what the secret will be. Most of the time we just whisper "I love you". But sometime we will have a sweet message to share with them.

As I related our whisper game to God I asked them a few questions. I asked if they loved me. They said yes. I asked if they liked it when I whispered a special message just for them to hear. Again their answer was yes. Then I asked if they would hear my secret if they were busy with other things and running around playing. They said no. I asked if they liked it when I shouted or yelled at them, again the answer was no. It was at this point I explained to them that it is the same with God. He will gently tug on our hearts with a still small voice. He will call our name and see if we will stop long enough to hear his voice. And if we love him, we will want to stop everything to hear what he has to say to us, just like they do when we play our secrets game. I explained that often Jesus is just calling us to stop and listen so he can tell us just how much he loves us. It may be through a scripture, or a song, or just a gentle knowing that his love is everlasting and that it is toward us. I explained that His presence is that quiet stillness we feel when we stop and pray. It is the calm that fills our heart and soul when we lean real close to hear the quiet whisper from the heart of God.

As I type this I, myself, am convicted by how busy I get in my own life and miss that gentle calling. I am going to make an effort to stop this week and hear what Jesus is trying to whisper to me. He may just be saying he loves me, or he may have something profound to show my heart. Whatever it is, if it is from God, I don't want to miss it!

I hope you find yourself stopping to lean in and hear what the very heart of God is saying to you this week!