God Speaks in the Silence — Are you listening?

God Speaks in the Silence –
August 21,2025
Prepared from the heart of Pastor Calvin Cook

I am preparing this week’s message, which will focus on living a life fully devoted to Jesus. Getting to that place is not easy, it is often a struggle. I realize there are countless things pulling at us, not only in the work of living out God’s call, but also in the deeper challenge of simply hearing His voice. We can serve until every ounce of strength is spent, read book after book and study Scripture with diligence, and worship with all our heart—but until we personally bow before God—the Giver, Sustainer, and Comforter of life—and truly listen to what He is speaking, taking it deep into our hearts, we will continue to wrestle with immense struggle.

This morning brought me to 1 Kings 19. A place in the story of God where God’s called servant and prophet Elijah is finding himself persecuted, alone, afraid, questioning, feeling defeated and in this you see a tinge of reluctance. Aside from the personal feelings and emotions, Elijah is being pursued by evil.

There is a lot that happens in these early verses of the chapter, more than 40 days of happening but in the resolution of this situation Elijah retreats. Elijah retreats to a mountain to be alone maybe out of fear maybe just the desire to be alone with God to find direction. I confess I find myself often on that same mountain.

After finding a silent place and receiving rest, you see that Elijah receives the care of the Lord through food, rest, and shelter. But more importantly I think it was Elijah’s need for retreat into a silent place that brought comfort. Elijah is called to the mountain and we pick up the story in in 1 Kings 19:11-13: “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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”

Did you read that – after everything that had happened – Elijah found God in the silence and submitted to God. God spoke to Elijah when everything else was stripped away. Often, more often than not, Gods voice will come in stillness. When we have crowded out everything else (this means putting down, shutting off, throwing aside the screens) God will speak! Now if you are one of those saying “I’m not hearing from God” are you really not hearing or is it not what you want to hear.

Two times in 1 Kings 19 – the 9th and 13th verse Elijah is asked the question “What are you doing here.” I noticed this morning that the question is made personal. This morning in the before and after of God speaking and recognizing God’s presence the answer to the question “What are doing here?” has to be answered by all of us.
Is what you are doing here really mattering to God, to living a God filled life. Or are you still out on that mountain somewhere consumed by the earthquake, the fire, the negative or are you still before God?

Have you received the forgiveness that is offered through Jesus death on the cross? Have you experienced redemption? Are you feeling the comfort and direction of the Holy Spirit? So many questions needing so many answers – As we seek these answers let us pray –

Lord, help me to be still so I can hear You, nothing else but you – Amen