Happy Labor Day, My Dear Friends,
Someone has rightly said that life’s most important messages often come to us as whispers. Centuries ago, there was a man who had been an advisor to kings and princes. As you would expect, the pace of his life was fast and furious. One day he realized that something was wrong deep inside his heart. The Old Testament records what happened to this man: he retreated to a remote corner of his world. There he began to listen again to what he called “the still, small voice” in his heart (1 Kings 19).
Deep in our spirit, all of us have a tiny voice that calls us to better things. It is this voice that sets before us the dream of what we can be, as opposed to what we are. It is also this voice that reminds us of the supreme importance of sturdy character and integrity. It is this voice that recalls for us the obligation of our blessings — the awareness that others have been less fortunate and thus have a claim on our compassion and concern. That still, quiet messenger suggests to us that our friends and family are our most precious possessions. This is the voice that keeps us on course and prevents us from losing ourselves among trivial things. But this voice usually speaks to us in a whisper. Sometimes it is so gentle and quiet that we miss hearing it altogether.
There is an old story about a mountain man who lived in a remote valley. In the early morning, he would sit on his porch and survey the breathtaking scenery around him. He would see the butterflies floating among the flowers in his yard. He would listen to the birds as they welcomed the new day. In the distance he could see deer grazing peacefully beside a tiny stream. It was a magnificent sight, and for the mountaineer it never lost its attraction. One day a traveler stopped at the man’s house. The traveler was breathless and perspiring as he asked for directions to the next town. As soon as the mountaineer told him which road to take, the motorist sped off. The mountaineer called after him, “What’s your hurry, Mister? You are going to run by more than you will ever catch.”
There’s great wisdom in those words. We can keep looking for the good life, listening to the roar and rumble of a world that is far too busy. We can drown out the small voice calling us to better and more important things. We hurry along looking for the good life, and yet all around us there is beauty, love, friendship, and the possibility of inner peace. These things can be ours if we only take the time to hear the voices that call us to them.
Listening to that still, small voice,
Bruce Jones, Pastor
Imagine Church
