Hearing His Voice #170

As Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

1 Kings 19:11-12

Centuries earlier, God had spoken to Moses amid thunder, lightning, a thick cloud of smoke, and a powerful blast of a horn. There was plenty of drama at Sinai, and quite a few words came out of that encounter with God. Now, at the very same mountain, Elijah experiences similarly dramatic phenomena, yet he hears God’s voice only in the gentle whisper that comes afterward. God speaks to Elijah differently than He spoke to Moses, and He makes a point of it.

What statement is God making? Perhaps Elijah, fresh from a victory over the priests of Baal but in exile from the rabid Jezebel, expected God to deal with unbelief and idolatry the same way He had in the time of Moses, and this was God’s way of saying, “I have different ways of dealing with people at different times.” Or maybe Elijah, who certainly seemed able to hear God’s words in the past, was now being trained to hear God’s voice in more subtle ways. Regardless, the incident teaches us an essential truth: God’s communication is varied. Sometimes when we’re watching for an obvious epiphany of His presence and direction, He speaks instead in the nuances of our lives. And sometimes when we’re straining to hear the subtle voice, He hits us over the head with His truth. We can’t focus on one mode of communication. We have to be ready for anything God wants to say—however He wants to say it.

Lord, help me to remain alert to Your voice in all of its forms. Make my spirit sensitive at all times. Shout to me, whisper to me, speak however You want. I’m listening.