1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
2) Scripture Reading—1 Kings 19:11-12
The Lord said “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
The Lord said “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
3) Devotional
When God appeared to Elijah after his flight from Jezebel and suicidal depression, he told him to stand and wait for the presence of the Lord to pass by. God did not appear in the ways he had showed up in the past. God was not in the wind (as with Job), an earthquake (as in Mount Sinai with the giving of the Ten Commandments), or fire (as in the burning bush with Moses). God finally revealed himself to Elijah in “a sound of sheer silence.” (See 1 Kings 19:12). The translation of God coming “in a still, small voice” does not capture the original Hebrew but what could the translators do? How do you hear silence?
When God appeared to Elijah after his flight from Jezebel and suicidal depression, he told him to stand and wait for the presence of the Lord to pass by. God did not appear in the ways he had showed up in the past. God was not in the wind (as with Job), an earthquake (as in Mount Sinai with the giving of the Ten Commandments), or fire (as in the burning bush with Moses). God finally revealed himself to Elijah in “a sound of sheer silence.” (See 1 Kings 19:12). The translation of God coming “in a still, small voice” does not capture the original Hebrew but what could the translators do? How do you hear silence?
The silence after the chaos, for Elijah and for us, is full of the presence of God. God speaks to Elijah out of the silence.
God invites you, too, to stand and wait like Elijah. Why? He also wants to speak to you out of the “sound of sheer silence.”
4) Question to Consider
When can you set aside some time for extended, uninterrupted silence to hear God? Will you do that today?
When can you set aside some time for extended, uninterrupted silence to hear God? Will you do that today?
5) Prayer
LORD, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. It feels, at times, almost impossible with the demands and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you, to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus’ name, amen.
LORD, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. It feels, at times, almost impossible with the demands and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you, to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus’ name, amen.
* from "Begin the Journey with The Daily Office" by Pete Scazzero
