1Kings 20: 11--13 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. --NIV
In the name of the gentle whisper, amen.
We are not really capable of understanding the incredible power that our God controls. I know this is true, because if we understood it, we would have far less doubts and fears when trouble comes into out lives. The winds of hurricanes and tornados, the force of an earthquake, and the heat of a forest fire are little glimpses of God's incredible power. But God does not choose to reveal Himself to us in any of these. Instead, He makes Himself known in a gentle whisper.
In a very real sense that gentle whisper is the baby that lay in the manger who, on the one hand was helpless, and on the other ruled the universe. The wrath of God and His holy judgment go before Him and threaten us with destruction. But the final word is a gentle whisper for those who repent of their sins. In a gentle whisper He says to us, "Cheer up, Your sins are forgiven" (e.g. Matthew 9:2).
Our Savior came to us many years ago like a gentle whisper. Today He comes to us in the gentle whisper of the Gospel. He didn't come to condemn when He came as the baby in the manger. Rather He came to save. It is the same today. He comes in the gentle whisper of the Gospel to save us. May the gentle whisper comfort and encourage you. Amen.
Prayer: Holy, immortal. all powerful and triune God, You alone are holy, You alone are God. You control the forces of nature as if they were the fingers of Your hand. We are nothing compared to Your strength and Your glory. Worse than that, we are offensive to You because of our sin. But You came to us as a child in a manger--like a gentle whisper to bring peace to our hearts. Forgive us for all of our offenses. Come to us again in the gentle whisper of the Gospel and strengthen our faith. Fill us with the power of the gentle whisper so that at any time You choose, we may one day stand before You without shame and with out offense. We ask this in the name of our Savior Jesus, the One Who came to us as a gentle whisper--the One Who still comes to us in the gentle whisper of the Gospel, amen.