Pockets of Silence
On Christmas Eve Day, when I attended church, I prayed for ‘pockets of silence.’ I am an introvert. I love my family and our gatherings, and I also find all that interaction exhausting. When you pray for a need, you often get the answer to your prayer; I shared this with AdventureMan and now I am kidded about needing my pockets of silence. It’s OK, I’ll take the kidding, as long as I get my pockets π
I’ve always loved this scripture; I think of the huge desert storms, full of power and fierce winds, I think of the roar of an earthquake, and how it jars you to the bones, and I smile as I think of the Lord’s voice in the ‘pocket of silence.’
1 Kings 19:9-18
9At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, βWhat are you doing here, Elijah?β 10He answered, βI have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.β
11 He said, βGo out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.β Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking 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; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, βWhat are you doing here, Elijah?β 14He answered, βI have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.β
15Then the Lord said to him, βGo, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.β
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I love that Scripture too…a couple years ago our chorale group sang Mendelssohn’s Elijah. That particular movement is incredible….fun to sing and after all the loud and blustery choruses of wind, earthquake, and fire, the “still small voice” was sung by a small group of young girls. Maybe this “cool” weather is providing a “pocket” for you? Most people are staying in around here….TOO COLD!
Happy New Year!
You’d think, but no, this happens to be a busy week, LOL. AdventureMan is taking tax training to volunteer with AARP, little granddaughter has caught a horrible cough, and I have meetings – so when I am not at meetings, I help out with babysitting. There is something so heartbreaking hearing a baby with a rheumy cough.
I wish I could have heard your choir sing that! I hear “Break Forth” every now and then and it transports me back to Doha.