1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV)
11 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.
Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of
long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code
operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that
was listed.
When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled
with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background.
A sign on the receptionist's counter instructed job applicants to fill out a
form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office.
The young man filled out his form and sat down with the
seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man
stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right
in.
Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what
was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn't heard any summons
yet.
They assumed that the young man who went into the office
made a mistake and would be disqualified.
Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the
young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, "Gentlemen,
thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled."
The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and
one spoke up saying, "Wait a minute, I don't understand. He was the last
to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the
job. That's not fair!"
The employer said, "I'm sorry, but the last several
minutes while you've been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the
following message in Morse Code: 'If you understand this message, then come
right in. The job is yours.' None of you heard it or understood it. This young
man did. The job is his."
We are so busy living in a world that is full of noise
and clatter, like that office. People are distracted and unable to hear the
still, small voice of God as He speaks in creation, in the Scriptures, and in
the life and work of Jesus Christ.
So we must ask ourselves, Are we listening, or are we
waiting to be called? Do you hear the Lord when he speaks to you?
Dear Lord, Help us to listen for You and not just wait.
We want to hear You today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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