13 August 2017 - stillness to listen

Today's Readings

We expect God to be in the wind and the waves. We expect to find him in the fire and the earthquake. Yet he is rather to be found in the still small voice amidst such noise and chaos. It takes faith to recognize him.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

We are called to listen for the voice of the LORD. We are called to watch for his gentle presence amidst the storms. Whether sleeping in our boat or walking placidly above the waves he is there to find. Even if he seems frustratingly unaffected by our circumstances we still see that he is close to us. He draws near. Finding him is possible if we can take our eyes from the noisy and loud things that surround us and give him room to reveal himself.

"It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. 
At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." 

Once God reveals himself to us there is no limit to his ability to change us. We desire to draw near to him become willing to take risks to do so.

"Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." 
He said, "Come."

There is no limit to what God can do within our hearts if we just let him speak with us. We move from doing good works from a sense of obligation to actually beginning to have true compassion and genuine love for others.

I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.

The voice and the presence of God is how the message that we know in our heads makes it's way to our hearts. Normally we are so threatened by the chaos around us that we don't even really have time to care. But when the voice of the one who has overcome the world speaks his peace to us amidst that chaos we are strengthened and made firm.

I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.