Smorgasbord Tuesday: Dark Chocolates

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I Kings 19:11-13

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.

12 After the earthquake came a fire,

but the LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

These verses are from one of my top two favorite stories in the Bible (the other favorite is God passing in front of Moses~ okay I guess I can think of more favorites, so hard to choose!). I love this story because it shows the character of God. So often we are looking for God in the big things, asking for Him to write the answers to our questions in the clouds; we think that would be so much easier. But the way God desires to speak to us in through a whisper, a gentle whisper.

Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God"

I don't know why he chooses this way to talk to us but He does. I think we often feel that God is removed and not a part of our lives because we are always looking for Him in the big things, but I think the reality is is that we often miss the presence of God in the everydayness of life because we overlook His quiet whisper.

After my post yesterday, Birth Control Heads Up I got to thinking about the whisper of God. I had been on the pill for the first 3 months of my marriage. I had talked to my own physician and also my friend that I had dessert with the other night and at the time I was continually reassured by both parties that there was no reason I should be concerned about being on the pill. However, it did not sit well with me and I chose to get off the pill without having a "real valid reason" to get off. Now 7 1/2 years later I'm getting an understanding of why I got off the pill and I am recognizing that I was hearing that "small quiet voice" of the Lord. At that point in time, I didn't really understand that God whispered to my heart, but thank God that I listened.

So anyway, as I sat thinking about it today, I was watching my bubbly 3 1/2 year old running, laughing and just being silly throughout my house and I began connecting dots that I hadn't connected before. In case you didn't know, Mercea was quite a surprise! In fact, Josh made me take 2 pregnancy tests before he would believe it ~ and still at times claims he doesn't know who her father is. As I was thinking back about the birth control issue I realized she probably wouldn't be here if I had chosen the pill. What it made me think of is how God is the master weaver and storyteller. He foresaw the future and He knew the desires of my heart. He removed an obstacle I had placed in the way 3 years before it was even in the way. Even though He is worthy of all of our praise, He isn't a "show-off" and He often sneaks around in quietness fulfilling our hopes and dreams in ways we might not even recognize until years later.

My encouragement for you this week is to step back, be still and to continue learning to listen to the small quiet voice of the Lord. If there are "big things" you are looking for begin to wait on the Lord and let Him demonstrate His love for you in the quiet ways:

Psalm 37:3-7b

Trust in the LORD and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD

and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.