Still Small Voice: The Invitation to Draw Near

The older I get, the more I understand the tension between two seemingly opposing emotions or truths in hand. I can be a very literal person at times, so the ability to grasp seemingly opposite ideas in this way has been confusing at times. God’s word is full of these paradoxes or better stated, God rarely performs according to human expectations. Let’s read some:

"And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks 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 the sound of a low whisper." 1 Kings 19:11

"For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him." Isaiah 53:2

"When I am weak, then I am strong" 2 Corinthians 12:10

"Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it" Matthew 10:39

A low whisper? ... I mean in our world, very often in social circles, sometimes we operate by being “loud and clear.” The God of the universe who breathed the world into existence used a whisper to communicate in the first scripture above. No beauty that we should desire him?…..How much money does the anti-aging industry take in on a yearly basis? Sometimes we equate beauty with having it all together, don’t we? But yet scripture shows us the difference between the beauty of the spirit vs the beauty of outward appearance. Strength in weakness, freedom in submission….the list goes on and on. God often flips our ideas around.

Often, what God is teaching me is that a deeper, more nuanced truth is at hand. Let’s circle back to the original scripture:

There he (Elijah) came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” 1 Kings 19:9, 10

The mount that the Lord asks Elijah to stand on is the same mountain where God met with Moses and gave him the ten commandments. God then repeatedly asks Elijah why he is running. Elijah shares openly that he was in distress…bitter distress. Coming off this big mountaintop experience where God victoriously defeats the prophets of King Ahab, Elijah is again fearful for his life. God then meets Elijah where he is at. He first meets his physical needs, and then his spiritual needs. He gave him food and rest. He didn’t match his energy.

Why Whisper?

I find it interesting that the Lord started by showing Elijah where He was not. He was not in the wind. He was not in the earthquake or fire. He was in the whisper. The Hebrew word qol that is used here means a sound of thin silence, barely audible. When someone whispers, what do we do? We lean in. This type of whisper invites intimacy.

I feel this is so human of Elijah, even after witnessing God show up in power to defeat his enemies, he becomes burned out and discouraged. His fears are founded and he wonders if it was worth it. He becomes fearful, discouraged, depressed. God lovingly draws him in and makes sure he is listening. He gives him His presence.

I have a very joyous, sweet, and VERY loud, often demanding three year old who I love dearly. I often tell her I can’t understand her when she is screaming. It’s at that point, she REALLY steps it up a notch, if you know what I mean. As crazy as it makes me, I know down deep, she is needing my attention, my presence. Sometimes, it’s more effective to draw her in, get down on her level, and look her in the eyes when I am trying to communicate or hold her close until she can rest.

Silence the Noise for His Still Small Voice

When everything seems like demands, when we feel pulled in so many different directions, or when we can’t seem to hear God in a way that is clear, I often need to remember that God draws us in with love and kindness; he whispers to my heart. But I have to come closer. This is not to say he can’t use wind or fire or storms; he most certainly can and does. This is also not a “quiet is better than loud” type of thing, but rather God looking deep into Elijah’s spirit and lovingly drawing him deeper into his presence in a way that He knew he needed.

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

I heard a recent devotional from David Guzik on this passage (1 Kings 19) and one particular quote stood out to me. “...the still small voice of God speaking to the human heart is actually more powerful than outward displays of power.” Guzik reminds us that Elijah needed God’s presence in a very real way, not just an expression of might. Sometimes a whisper to the heart reaches people in a way that might cannot.

Sometimes, the tyranny of the now can make us forget or harden our hearts to what God has been doing all along. In verse 18, the Lord reminds Elijah that there are still 7,000 people who have not bowed down to Baal, even though he feels like he is the only one. God was at work all along.

I am so thankful that God sees when we need his presence and comes. Sometimes, we are expecting God to show up in a certain way and we can ignore the still, small voice or worse, forsake it. I certainly have been guilty of this.

How to Move Forward

So, what could God be whispering to you? Is there noise that you have to silence to hear it? Do you need to get away or cry out to God with everything weighing you down?

Elijah told the Lord honestly where he was at. There was no rebuke. God showed up in an unexpected, yet perfectly loving way. He drew Elijah in, ministered to his soul and after that, he gave Elijah a new mission.

Father God, I am and will always be SO grateful that you know exactly what we need before we do. That you draw us in with love and kindness and never forget us. Thank you for your incomprehensible faithfulness and help us to tune into your still, small voice.