With the dawning of each day, we are presented with new opportunities to see God at work – in our lives and the lives of those around us. We see God reflected in the faces of patients and their families, in the doctors and nurses and support staff. We see God in every man, woman, and child. We see God in each magnificent part of nature.
On the
metro, on the Beltway, in the crowded lanes of traffic and long lines at the
supermarket – everywhere we look, we see
God.
But how
often, in the midst of our busy and rushed lives, do we stop looking for God
and start listening for him?
Often,
the perception we have of God’s voice has a very epic Hollywood feel to it. God
announcing his presence from a pillar of fire. God speaking from a burning
bush. God making a dramatic appearance in a dream.
How
often have we dreamed of having our own dramatic encounter with God? Perhaps
you or someone you know has. But others may have missed their moment because
the chaos and noise within their lives has drowned out God’s voice. Car horns
and telephones, arguments, screaming children, doorbells, news broadcasts,
television announcers. The chaotic situations that bring people to this very
building. There are many distractions that make hearing what is truly important
a great challenge.
But in straining
to listen for God’s voice over the noises of our hectic, over-scheduled lives,
we miss those moments where God can truly speak to us.
We miss
those moments where God whispers to
us.
Think
of a conversation you may have had where there is suddenly a gap when no words
are spoken.
Sing
your favorite song, and pay attention to that brief moment between verses.
When
your eyes open in the morning, ponder that sliver of time before the first
thought of the day enters your mind.
Even in
something as automatic as breathing, notice the moment between one breath and
the next.
It is
in these sacred seconds, these moments of quiet, where you will hear that
wonderfully blessed whisper – a whisper reminding you that you are loved, you
are valued. A voice that says, “You are my beloved child.”
As you
depart this morning and go about the business of your day, listen for the voice
of God. Listen with your heart, and take notice of those instances of silence
and be amazed when you discover it is not silence you are hearing after all.
It is God, whispering in your ear.
It is God, whispering in your ear.
