Noise is a Huge Factor

 

Hebrews 4:7

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”  Have you given any thought to how hard it is to hear the voice of God in this noisy world we live in?   For the last two years Jan and I have hosted ten young ladies at our home in what is called a “Believers weekend.”  This year it was eight eighth graders and two college girls as leaders, and it is a given that the noise factor was a might above what this home is used to.  In fact, it was going strong until 3:00 A.M. when Jan, in a nice way, said girls it is time to go to sleep.  Now that may not be the best example, but I’m suffering from sleep deprivation.

Noise is a huge factor, often we talk about desiring quiet, but when we attain a quiet setting, we often are very uncomfortable and look forward to the TV, radio, or computer to relieve the silence.  We have been trained like a bird dog to want noise.  But is God in the noise, or where can we hear His voice.  In First Kings 19, we have the account of a great prophet of God who has encountered the enemy and comes away with a great victory.  But somewhere in the aftermath, God chooses not to remember our sins. He chooses never to bring them up again Elijah seems to forget who gave the victory and is running for his very life from the evil Jezebel.  He is hiding out in a cave when he hears a word from the Lord, asking, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  But that was not the end of the story, God told Elijah to stand at the mount before the Lord.

We pickup the story in verse 11b, “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks 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 the sound of a low whisper.  And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah.”  What can we learn from this, first, that we are all open to a low after a great spiritual victory?   Also, that we like Elijah, are often listening for God in some mighty act, but God had to get Elijah to a quiet cave, in order to hear the low whisper of God’s voice.

I also believe it is important to understand when God is not speaking to you.  The enemy of your soul also has a voice that speaks to our minds, that voice sounds just like your voice, and all too often we believe it is from God.  So how can we know that it is not the voice of God; “If you confess you sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)  God does not beat you up over what has been forgiven, in fact; God chooses not to remember our sins. He chooses never to bring them up again, it a grace thing.  The Holy Spirit never attacks your character, two things that come to your mind that are never from God; Is that you have no worth or value, or that you deserve something, anything.  But these are tools of the enemy of your soul, and if you are not trained to understand and taught to listen for you Fathers voice you will be taken captive.  Jesus told us this; “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice