He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking 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; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:11-13

I love these verses with the message that sometimes God is in the silence. There are many places in the Bible where God guides His people with something more tangible, like a pillar of fire or a star, or perhaps He speaks from a burning bush or sets a rainbow in the sky. But here God was in the silence.

In August 1998 I went on a hiking trip with a small group in the Canadian Rockies. One of the most memorable days was our hike in the Bald Hills in Jasper National Park. We had a beautiful view of Maligne Lake as we hiked uphill, especially when we got above the tree line. When we reached the third (and final) summit, our leader suggested that we all sit down, close our eyes and just listen. It was a beautiful late summer day and after we all got comfortable, I could hear the wind moving through the long grass. There were no traffic noises or other distractions, just the sounds of God’s creation. In the distance I heard the cry of a hawk as it swooped down on its prey. And I heard the whistling sounds made by the hoary marmots in the valley below us. When we opened our eyes we were all smiling. Listening to the silence was an amazing experience. Sometimes God is in the silence.

God has given me many gifts but unlike Elijah, I do not have the gift of discernment. Certainly it would be much easier for me if God were in the great wind, or the earthquake or the fire, or a text message or an email or even a post on Facebook. But sometimes God is in the silence, and I know that I must listen carefully for Him.

Dear Lord, thank you for being there to guide us. Help us to listen carefully, especially in the silence, to discern Your will. Amen.

February 20, 2018