Quiet

Because I went to church last night, I am sitting at my kitchen table this morning, drinking a cup of coffee, eating a doughnut, (terrible..I know) and watching the snow softly fall outside my kitchen window.  Quiet moments like this are more frequent now that my children are grown, but I find it a little uncomfortable for the house to be quiet and I'm not sure why. So I got my phone out and started listening to Audrey Assad's song, Winter Snow.  It's a beautiful song that our worship pastor's wife has sung at Christmas a couple of times.  It talks about how Jesus could have come with much fanfare but He came in a quiet peaceful unassuming way, like a soft winter snow.

Sitting quietly before God is not always a comfortable thing to do.  We've been trained in some circles that great moves of God are boisterous and flamboyant.  We like our music loud and we love to clap our hands and hear others around us singing and lifting up the name of Jesus, and believe me I LOVE that type of worship myself!  But there's something to be said for sitting quietly and waiting on God's voice to speak to our hearts.  This week I had a decision to make involving work. I spoke with Bo and about it, I shared with friends and I contemplated asking the facebook world to join me in praying about what I should do. Huh?  I'm considering a career decision and I want to involve the facebook world?  Thank the Lord I reconsidered that option! Instead I began to pray for God to speak to my heart in whatever way He chose, to lead me to the right decision....and He did.

I love the Bible's account in 1 Kings 19 of how Elijah is ready to throw in the towel but decides to obey an angel sent to him, and stand on the mountain before God and listen for Him.  The Bible says that a great wind came and then a great earthquake came and then a great fire came, but the Lord's voice was not in any of those things.  The word of the Lord came to Elijah in a still small voice.

A quiet season of life is not to be ignored, for when we are humble and quiet, we sometimes experience the most powerful move of God.  The kind of experience that comforts us in stressful times and guides us in uncertain times.  Thank you, Lord for quiet moments when you speak to my heart and I hear that still small voice letting me know that you are near.  Thank you for tears that fall in quiet times, when only you can understand the aching in my heart.  Thank you for quiet moments when only you see my grateful heart that overflows with joy unspeakable.

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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 a still small voice. 1 Kings 19 11-12