It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
How great are your works, Lord,
how profound your thoughts! (Psalm 92:1-5)
I had a wonderful Zoom talk with my priest last week. I really love talking with her – she pushes me to think about my relationship with God and how I can do more to reflect His love back on the world.
She asked me how I listen for God. I told her it isn’t easy for me.
See, I have a hard time sitting still and being quiet. My brain seems to go go go. I’ve found the best way to listen to God is when I’m in the car. I turn the radio down and let my mind go as I focus on the road. It’s then that I can hear God. But he never comes to me loudly. It’s always a quiet whisper.
One of my favorite verses is from 1 Kings, chapter 10: 11-12.
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
I’ve written before about this verse, but I think it’s important to remember that God rarely speaks to us loudly. He comes in a whisper, forcing us to be silent so we can hear Him.
One morning last week, I was driving to the park for my morning walk when I felt a push to go to a different park. I thought “no, I don’t like that park, the trail is short so I have to walk at least 4 times around to get my steps in.” Then I felt it again – the strong urge to go to that other park. I said “Yes, Lord”, and drove there.
I was the only car in the parking lot. I walked towards the trail and looked at the pond next to it. There, in the stillness of the morning, I saw a beautiful doe and her fawn. I stopped walking and just looked at their beauty. The doe looked at me while her fawn drank. Then I quietly pulled out my phone to take a picture but they turned and walked away before I could get a good photo. Later, I encountered another beautiful deer, a buck this time, in the woods. He looked at me and I looked at him. I didn’t try to take a photo this time, instead I just stood with him and breathed deeply. Finally I turned and continued on my walk and he did the same.
When I told Rev. Sally about that push from God to go to that park and what I saw when I was there, she told me that perhaps I should start writing down when I see those glimpses of God. I started that journal as soon as we were done talking and have done my best to find at least one glimpse of God every single day.
The cardinal I saw the other morning is a glimpse of God.
The beautiful sunrise I saw as I swam in the pool was a glimpse of God.
The thunderstorm that rolled through a few nights ago was a glimpse of God.
The long and incredible phone call with my sister was a glimpse of God.
The hike with a friend was a glimpse of God.
The woman who was singing loudly and joyfully in her car at the red light was a glimpse of God.
It’s the world’s most amazing scavenger hunt. I’m now spending my time searching for those moments and I see them over and over every day. It’s a beautiful reminder that God is always around me. I wake up in the morning and think “how will I see God today?” and when I go to bed at night I thank Him for every glimpse of Him I’ve seen.
God is everywhere. I invite you to join me in the greatest scavenger hunt in the world.
Father God, thank You so much for opening my eyes to Your whisper. Thank You for showing me how You are everywhere. Amen.