A GENTLE THUNDER
Many people expect to discern the will of God, i.e. to hear His
voice, via some audacious and awesome manifestation of power that shakes their
world to gain their attention. I tend to look for God in quiet
places. May I remind you that hidden within every human storm are divinely
appointed quiet places? Consider the Prophet Elijah’s supernatural encounter
with God.
I Kings 19:9-12 (NKJV)
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place;
and behold, the word of the Lord came to
him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children
of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your
prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
11 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; 12 and after the earthquake a
fire, but the Lord was
not in the fire; and after the fire a
still small voice.
Max Lucado, author of “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God
Through the Storm,” penned the following story that mirrors the
experiences of Elijah:
Once there was a man who dared God to speak.
Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God, and I will follow.
Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God, and I will fight.
Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God, and I will listen.”
Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God, and I will fight.
Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God, and I will listen.”
And so the man went and sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the
sea and waited for God to speak.
And God heard the man, so God answered.
He sent fire, not for the bush, but for a church.
He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin.
He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul.
He sent fire, not for the bush, but for a church.
He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin.
He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul.
And God waited for the man to respond.
And He waited...
And waited...
And waited...
And He waited...
And waited...
And waited...
But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks, not
lives; and seas, not souls, he decided that God had done nothing.
Finally he looked at God and asked, “Have you lost your power?”
And God looked at him and said, “Have you lost your hearing?”
Finally he looked at God and asked, “Have you lost your power?”
And God looked at him and said, “Have you lost your hearing?”
Before you arrive at any erroneous and emotional conclusion that God
does not care or that He is inattentive to your concerns and needs, start
listening more carefully. Our God is
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, which simply means that HE IS THERE…always. (Ezekiel 48:35 –
Matthew 28:20) If you are not hearing Him, you should scripturally examine your
actions, your attitudes, your motives, your very heart. And, you must eliminate any background noises
and spiritual barriers that minimize or mute His voice. STOP AND LISTEN.
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