God rarely shouts at us, or writes on the walls to tell us what to do. I sure wish that was the modus operandi, but it is not. We always have to look between the lines, listen for whispers….

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”--Blessed Mother Teresa: (1910 – 1997: Founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta)

Scripture Text: (1 KGS 19:9A, 11-16)

At the mountain of God, Horeb,

Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.

But the word of the LORD came to him,

“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;

the LORD will be passing by.”

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains

and crushing 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 there was fire—

but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.

When he heard this,

Elijah hid his face in his cloak

and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”

He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD,

the God of hosts.

But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant,

torn down your altars,

and put your prophets to the sword.

I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.”

The LORD said to him,

“Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.

When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram.

Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,

and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah,

as prophet to succeed you.”

Elijah the prophet thought himself a failure because he could not convert his people from their idols. In his disappointment he even wanted to die: he thought he had failed in his vocation, the calling God had given him. He thought the Lord was far, far away from him.

Then the Lord told him to go to the mountains, where the Lord would pass by. Elijah, like others who expect big signs from God, thought he would see God in a grand spectacle. But he did not see God in a mighty wind, or a great fire, or even an earthquake. To his surprise, Elijah experienced the presence of the Lord in a breeze so gentle that it seemed like a whisper. The lesson was that, without great fanfare, God would accomplish His divine will, in His own way and time.

Accepting this in our own lives takes not only faith, but a real humility. Faith moves us to believe that God is in control, but humility helps us realize that His type of control is best.