1 KINGS 19:11-12: 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.
Years ago when people had ice boxes instead of refrigerators, a man working in an ice plant lost a
valuable watch in the sawdust in which the ice was stored. His fellow workmen searched with him, but
were unable to find it.
They left the plant for lunch and returned to find a young boy with the watch. When they inquired how
he found it, the boy replied, “I just lay down in the sawdust and heard it ticking.” With all the noisy
machinery turned off and a person predisposed to listen, the watch wasn’t hard to find at all.
As Elijah stood on Mount Horeb, he was treated to a spectacular display of God’s power. A great wind
reduced mighty boulders to pebbles.
An earthquake shook the ground. Then the mountain was bathed in fire. Each of these was a
manifestation of God’s power, but they were not God. It was not until all the noise had stopped that
Elijah found God Himself — in a still, small voice.
Today it’s hard to get away from the noise. The hubbub of the city, the noise of the factory, the cry of
children, the blare of the radio or television — all contribute to a cacophony. In the midst of these
things, intimate communion with God is nearly impossible. That’s why it’s essential that we seek a
quiet retreat where we can hear God’s still, small voice.
Find a place today where you can shut out the noise of the world. Ask God to calm your mind and
remove the clamor that so often fills it. Tune your heart to listen for His voice and discover His
intimacy. Get alone. Be still. Stay quiet. Hear God.
INTIMACY WITH GOD COMES IN WHISPERS, NOT SHOUTS.