THE STILL SMALL VOICE

Once upon a time in Jewish history, the Jews began to resent the voice of their Prophet (The mouthpiece of their God). They complained and demanded that they hear Him directly: lip to ear and no more by a medium. Their murmurs increasingly grew in pitch until the possibility of an outbreak of civil unrest was not so far fetched. Moses, their prophet and spiritual leader, reported back to God their demands. God agreed and scheduled a meeting with them, requiring that they first consecrate themselves till the third day.

Arriving at the top of the famous mount Sinai, on the set day, His presence alone made the mountain burn, setting dark plumes of smoke bellowing into the arid sky. His voice, as He spoke, was of such tremendous effect that Mount Sinai trembled and quaked, causing it’s rocks to tumble down from their precarious hangings. Every utterance hit their eardrums like deafening thunder blasts. Then they cried out for Moses’ intervention, who in response, may have smiled knowingly, thinking, “I told you so”

So the Jews learnt a vital lesson about their God’s voice: it was too powerful for all but specially designed human ears to endure.

In our dispensation, many have reported hearing God’s voice but they describe it in ways different from the Jewish experience. The most widely used and accepted description, portrays the voice as “ still and small”.

No doubt, many today, would react with skepticism to hear that God speaks. This is largely because voice is associated with sound. But the Bible also known as the Word, though in printed form, utters speech! The ministers of God sermonizing from the pulpit are God’s voice also! Nature is God’s voice! The Heavens, whereon God displays His signs speak His intentions; consequently making them His voice! God speaks in volumes everyday but we don’t recognize His Voice.

Admittedly, to hear God, who is Spirit, one has to have spiritual ears.

Christ said, “My sheep know my voice…”

Job said, “For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it”.

I, as a believer, have had the privilege of hearing this tender voice at many crucial junctions of my life. It is so radically different from how we hear things. It is a Voice that springs up from within for the briefest possible time, leaving you to wonder if it was merely a figment of your imagination. It comes as a thought penetrating through the fog of your own thoughts. The clearest of whispers, that proffers solution to mind boggling situations, pointing out direction at life’s crossroads.

My experience is that, this “still, small voice” is never verbose; just a few words that are loaded with immense power. It almost always says things that defy what is largely known as “common sense” because it is uncommon and out of this world.

Contributed by faithful scribe.