When God Whispers to Our Hearts

Our sweet dog, Samantha, is fifteen years old. A Miniature Schnauzer with personality galore, she has watched for our safety and stolen our hearts in ways that are hard to imagine. Funny, cute, and incredibly smart, she has tried in her own Napoleonic way to rule our roost. 

Sometimes Sammie’s shenanigans get to us, but when she stands staring at the front door as if that will make it open, or puts her paw pleadingly on our leg trying to convey what she wants, well, we just melt. But time—as it does to all of us—has caused age to creep up on her. 

Hardly able to see or hear anymore, she relies on the movement of our feet beside her and the almost inaudible snap of our fingers just in front of her nose to lead her. Walking with her the other night it hit me that this was a picture of what my journey with the Lord should look like. Close beside Him and like the prophet Elijah, hearing His still small whisper above the clamor of what is swirling around me (1 Kings 19:12).

Elijah, a mighty prophet of the Lord, had just received a message from Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife, threatening his life. Elijah in response took off running. Fleeing first through the wilderness he found refuge in a cave in Horeb, the mountain of God. Once there, God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9 nkjv

After Elijah—who felt he was the only one left who truly worshipped God—painted the grim picture of how Jezebel wanted to kill him, the Lord responded,

“…Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” 
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
– 1 Kings 19: 11-13 nkjv

Like Elijah, swept up by what is happening around us, we react instead of praying. Forgetting to turn our eyes to Jesus, we run around in circles, sometimes following what others are doing, but most of the time, doing what we think is best. In the end we often find ourselves frazzled and bone-tired, sitting on a heap of confusion. 

When we finally come to our senses and seek the Lord, He doesn’t berate us, but in tender-tough kindness like He did with Elijah, He whispers that same question to our hearts: What are you doing here? 

The hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, says it well.

“What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!” *

God is always speaking to us—through His Word, other believers, His creation, and even His creatures. May the eyes and ears of our hearts see and listen to what He is saying to us. May we choose to pray and trust Him.

Heavenly Father, please draw us to You. Please work in our hearts the desire and the will to abide in You. You alone, are our Savior. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name. Amen

Kimberly 

*Scriven, Joseph. “What a friend we have in Jesus.” The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, 1986, p. 435.