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The Still, Small Voice
Leonard Skaria, Chicago.

              Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." and behold the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord but the Lord was not in 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 still small voice (NKJV, 1 Kings 19:11-12).

              God's presence and the manifestations of his power are all around us. Blessed by the bounty of his works we can do nothing but kneel before his might and admire and adore all that he has done and is still doing. But before we congratulate ourselves for being such grateful being, let us take a moment to ask ourselves this question: Are we truly praising and adoring him or are we merely paying attention to and praising his works? Are we guilty of turning our gaze from him to admire mere symbols that represent Him?

              Here, Elijah a fervent fighter of idolatry, finds himself in the presence of God's power, during a desperate period of his life. He is waiting eagerly for answers and directions from God. And just as in times past, he sees and feels the potent presence o God. Yet, he waits and listens. Why? Because, Elijah knew that the true essence of Godliness not in His thundering presence but in the power of His word that binds the covenants He makes with us unworthy, mortals. The dialog we have with him is what makes the bond special. That is what makes us powerful.

              As Apostle Paul points out, many know of God because of all that He has done in terms of creation. Nature reveals God and His works. And based on this general revelation many end up worshipping the creation rather than the creator (Romans 1:19-20, 25) . But we were given much more: the special revelation of grace, and the promise of an enduring, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

              Still one may ask, what is wrong with admiring God's handiwork and praising all that he has done? After all, as children of God, isn't that precisely what we are supposed to do?

              Before we try to answer try to answer this, let us place ourselves in a gallery, in front of a breath-taking collection of paintings done by a master now, imagine, if you will, the painter himself walking by and trying to engage us in a conversation. But because we are so engrossed in appreciating and discussing his work among ourselves, we ignore him every opportunity we get. Are we guilty of doing the same when it comes to your to your master? Are we so busy admiring his work that we cannot spare the time to hear what he was to say? By doing this aren't we merely grasping at the shadow and losing the substance?

              Often, when he speaks it might be in nothing more than a whisper. But it is the voice of grace. It is the voice that beckons us to salvation. Accept substitutes and standby's and we remove ourselves from the fellowship of His true power.

               Consider the children of Israel, who identified Moses, instead of God, as the one who led them out of Egypt (Exodus 32:1) . And when Moses disappeared from their view for a little while, their consecration gave way to outright idolatry, in the form of a golden calf. Or see how foolishly they chose the Ark of the Covenant as an acceptable substitute for God in their war against the Philistines (I Samuel 4:3-8). It did succeed for a while in confusing the enemy. But in the absence of the real power behind it, the symbol, even a sacred and blessed one, becomes a powerless object, a porous shield, as they soon found out. There is no substitute for the living presence of God.

                 As ambassadors of Christ, we have unique roles. Roles that may make us the objects of admiration among those we work and witness. It happened even in the lives of the best of saints. During their journeys, we see Apostles Paul and Barnabas being admired as gods by the Greeks, not understanding that it was god who had performed the healing miracles through them (Acts 14:8-18). Even our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was not spared. In John 12:18, we see people flocking to Jesus had raised a dead man (Lazarus). But throughout the Gospels we see a reluctant Jesus telling the ones he healed to, "tell no one what had happened" ( Luke 8:56, Mathew, 8:4, 9:30).

                    Jesus did not want to be known merely as a miracle worker, a wonder-working doctor, if you will. His mission had a bigger scope. His messages had a higher purpose. Reviving the spiritual man and reuniting him with the living God, was the one miracle he wanted the world to witness.

                    Now consider John the Baptist, the one who prepared the way for our Lord. He steps aside to let the true light that is Christ to shine through. For as he says, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). When the world looks at us and admires us, are we willing to step aside to let that true light shine through? Are we willing to step aside to let that still, small voice to speak directly to a soul we have just won for Christ?

                   Finally, as believers, let us examine ourselves. it is clear that Satan wants us to worship something that is other than God. Are we guilty of obliging him? Every year, with all the fervor of a pilgrimage we attend conferences and conventions. In record numbers we flock to specific Christian artists, attend their concerts, ad buy their albums. And if the pulpit is graced by a certain well-known man of God, that meeting takes on an added significance. Earth-shattering revivals, fiery messages and speakers and musicians who can move us are all manifestations of God's power and presence. Awe-inspiring, they are. Objects of adoration, they should not be.

                    Because, behind all that power there resides a voice that is worthy of our attention, who was before the world was, and whose seemingly simple words, "Let there be....." defined, created and still conducts all that we see and feel. To Him and Him alone should go all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise.