Be Still

Be Still

"I heard a hushed voice ..." Job 4:16

I am sitting a porch in Ocean City enjoying a beautiful of the bay. The hot temperatures have subsided and for the moment the breeze is delightfully refreshing.

The flag outside is flapping, the birds are singing, the house is quiet at the moment. It has been a great setting for my time with the Lord today.

I have shared numerous times that I never ceased to be amazed at the timing of the Scriptures and devotional readings God has for me each day. This morning was another one of those amazing times of Him speaking to my heart.

Here was today's reading from STREAMS IN THE DESERT ...

Some twenty years ago a friend gave me a book entitled TRUE PEACE. It had an old medieval message and this one primary thought -- that God was waiting in the depths of my being to speak to me if I would only be still enough to hear His voice!

I assumed this would not be a difficult thing to do, so I tried to be still. No sooner had I begun to so than complete pandemonium seemed to break lose. Suddenly I heard a thousand voices and sounds from without and within, until I could hear nothing except these incredible noises. Some were my very own words, my own questions, and even my own prayers, while others were temptations of the Enemy, and the voices of the world's turmoil.

In every direction I turned, I was pushed, pulled, and confronted with indescribable unrest and overwhelming noises. I seemed compelled to listen to some of them and to respond in some way. But God said, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) Then my mind was filled with worries over my responsibilities and plans for tomorrow, and again, God said, "Be still!"

As I listened and slowly learned to obey, I shut my ears to every other sound. Soon I discovered that once the other voices ceased, or once I ceased to hear them, "a gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12) began to speak in the depths of my being. And it spoke to me with an inexpressible tenderness, power and comfort.

This "gentle whisper" became for me the voice of prayer, wisdom, and service. No longer did I need to work so hard to think, pray, or trust, because the Holy Spirit's "gentle whisper" in my heart was God's prayer in the secret places of my soul. It was HIS answer to all my questions, and HIS life and strength for my soul and body. HIS voice became the essence of all knowledge, prayer and blessings, for it was God HIMSELF as my life and my all.

This is precisely how our spirit drinks in the life of our risen Lord. And then we are enabled to face life's conflicts and responsibilities, like a flower that has absorbed the cool and refreshing drops of dew through the darkness of the night. Yet just as dew on a stormy night, the dew of His grace never covers a restless soul. (A. B. Simpson)

Financial pressures, summer attendance numbers, two sons with job issues are just some of the concerns that have been crowding out my hearing His gentle whisper! Thank You, Lord, for reminding me today to BE STILL! What is crowding out His voice from speaking to YOUR heart today? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 2; Job 22-24; Acts 11

Dig This Quote" Why do we choose to live our life like paupers instead of living like sons of the King! Hey brothers ... we are the kids of the King of kings, and Lord of Lord! Live today like a son rather than a pauper! -- Bill Welte

Determined Digging: Level 1 - Proverbs 23:17; Level 2 - Psalm 100