Some people’s houses are like museums:  Clean and sterile, quiet and tranquil, polite and reverent.

And then there’s my house:  Loud, Lived in, Cluttered, Explosive.

Sometimes I’m just a step ahead of a security breach.  Barely contained chaos.

My morning routine looks a lot like this:

But one of the busiest times of day is around 4:30 in the afternoon.  About this time 3 kids are doing homework.  I’m trying to keep the other 2 kids busy and help the ones doing homework.  If not homework, then chores are being done.  I’m starting supper.  Usually there’s some kid’s cartoon in the background, the dishwasher is going, the ceiling fan is on, the washing machine is running and my littlest will call “Mmoooommmmmm!” and mumble something.  In the midst of the whirlwind I can’t make out her whispers.  I haven’t a clue what she’s saying.  I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve said, “I can’t hear you.  Come to where I am.”

It reminds me of the passage in 1 Kings 19 where Elijah has just run away from King Jezebel and runs for 40 days and nights clear across the country and comes to Mount Sinai.  He cries out to God and basically says, “I’ve done everything I’m supposed to.  But I’m the only one left following you.  I’m a good guy.  And somebody wants to kill me!”  (my paraphrase – check out 1 Kings 19 for yourself here).

In verses 11-13 we see the following:

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 mountains 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. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Sometimes I feel like Elijah.  I feel like I’m the only one in the battle and I am looking to hear the voice of the Lord.  But I’m surrounded by earthquake, wind and fire.  And I can’t hear God in the midst of any of it…..maybe because of it.  But it’s the whisper where we hear the voice of God.

Like my littlest trying to get my attention in the commotion, I have to be where she is in order to hear what’s being said.  If we want to hear the voice of God, then we have to go to where He is and ask Him to come to where we are and shut out some of the noise.

Maybe we need to turn off the computer, the tv, or the radio.  Put down the newspaper, the iPad or the book.  Stay home once in a while instead of going to every event oractivity. Get up earlier or stay up later so that we are alone.  In the QUIET.  That’s where we hear the voice of God.  His whisper.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t live my life well apart from God, and I’m desperate to hear His voice.  Lord, help us to be quiet and find quiet so that we can hear your whispers in the whirlwind of our lives.