Yells or Whispers

This morning while I was on my way to church I came to a 4 way stop and took a picture. I didn't think about it at that moment but what God showed me later on really impacted my day. As I looked back at the picture I had 2 choices. To turn and go to church or go 3 other directions and not. Obviously, I was going to church but I had 3 other options to retreat and go another way. God showed me that a lot of time in life I'm faced with decisions much like this one.

The 3 directions represent the world's options. It's going to entice you or tempt you, to go the wrong way. Go against what God is asking you. Then you have God's direction. The temptation and the pull of the world are strong. And they are loud. But we have to really listen to the voice of God. Or the pull of the Holy Spirit. The kicker here? God doesn't always stand in the middle of the crossroad and point which way you need to go.

Yes, I'm aware that God revealed himself to Moses via a burning bush in Exodus. And wrestled with Jacob in Genesis. And God lead the slaves out of Egypt they were lead by pillars of smoke. Yes, God has a slight dramatic flair. But what I was really drawn to today was a story in 1 Kings.

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 mountain 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.

KJV says it was a still small voice. In a world filled with temptations and loud pulls, God has a still small voice. One thing I want to remind you of is that this is the OLD TESTAMENT. This was before Jesus died and resurrected and the Holy Spirit had not come to be the comforter. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to have access to God at ALL times. During this time in the Bible, when God showed up, YOU DROPPED EVERYTHING AND LISTENED. No matter how he revealed himself. 

We have to be willing in our lives to silence the worlds yells and listen to those whispers from God.