A Moment Aside --- 4 November 2021
Quiet can do one of two
things. It can frighten us because we don’t know what is “out there” although
it can frighten us because we DO know what is “out there.” Or it can comfort us
with a time away from the busy-ness of the world around us. Some busy-ness is
worthwhile and necessary. Some other busy-ness is thumb-twiddling and
make-work, done to avoid looking at what the quiet could show us.
The world is quite loud
while God often whispers. C.S. Lewis wrote “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but
shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” More often
than not, we are too busy to hear that whisper.
Yet, Elijah did quiet
himself enough to hear. (The Lord)
said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for
the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong
that it was splitting mountains and breaking 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 sound of sheer silence. When
Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at
the entrance of the cave. (1 Kings 19: 11-13) It just might be
the same for us.
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