“…behold the LORD passed by…but the LORD was not in the wind…the LORD was not in the earthquake… and the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12)
How did God reveal Himself to the great Prophet Elias (Elijah)? The Lord that lit up the top of Mount Sinai for 40 days when Moses went up to receive the Law, came to the Prophet Elias half way up that same mountain years later only in a still small voice. Maybe this is the way that God prefers to speak with those who are listening. Are we listening? Are we ready to hear what God has to say to us? Are we quiet enough to have shut down the noise around us and retreat to a quiet place to hear this still small voice?
Unless we learn to be very quiet we will never hear Him. Unless we are willing to move at times away from the hustle and bustle of our over-busy lives we won’t even take the time to stop for a moment and wish to find a quiet place to be receptive and listen. Unless we quiet our burgeoning minds from constant distractions, worries, and just earthly cares, how can we think that we will ever make real personal quality time for Him, or hear His voice if not tangibly then in at least our conscience.
Let us come apart as did Moses, as did Elias, as did St. Anthony the Great did, as did St. Seraphim of Sarov, or even as did very busy people like St. John of San Francisco. We all need real one-on-one time with the most important person in our short lives. We all need the solace and comfort of someone to tell our deepest secrets, our inmost pains, our hidden good desires, and all of our weaknesses and faults too.
We need someone who cares for us unconditionally and has a long perspective on how everything can work together for our salvation. We need great love, great mercy, and great support so we can have strong hope and faith. Let us come apart, quieted down, open, listening, and humble. That still voice is always whispering in our ears—so small and so still. “And let him that heareth, say, Come.” “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” Amen.
The Monastics at St. Isaac of Syria Skete
and at the Convent of St. Silouan
and the Faithful at St. Nicholas Church
and the Staff at Orthodox Byzantine Icons and St. Isaac’s Bookstore.