Still, small voice

God speaks to us in many ways but Willard maintains that it is through our own thoughts and feelings that God speaks most. In this way, God utilizes our own faculties of understanding and emotions. The thoughts I think are my own thoughts but they might originate in the mind of God. I am trying to imagine how I can distinguish such thoughts from God. I think that I must first be a clean vessel, in tune with God's word, and ready to obey his will whatever it may be. Surely then God can quietly slip in to my mind and speak in that still, small voice.

1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV)

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.

Perhaps I should believe that if God speaks that it should be in great dramatic fashion commensurate with God's nature. These pictures that are painted in the natural world of God's creation depict the attributes of God much like you might see part of an artist's personality in his paintings. These things show his power and might but is that a complete picture of God? He is more than power and might.

I remember being in a meeting once with a number of managers and the CEO of the organization. The managers all spoke with confidence, each one trying to upstage the next. When the CEO spoke, I was struck with the manner of his speaking; he spoke in a very quiet and calm tone. The remarkable thing is that the entire room became very still and silent while he was speaking. You could tell that everybody in the room was leaning towards this CEO so as to not miss a word he spoke. The group Point of Grace sang a song entitled "Speak a little softer so I can hear you." Isn't that just like God to cause us to be still so that we can hear Him? Why should he compete with the din and noise of this world?

Help me Father to find those quiet places during the day where I can listen to Your "still, small voice."