Dear Jared and Jade:
You may remember a song we sing at church sometimes. It's just one line, repeated three times: "Be still and know that I am God." It's the first line of the verse of scripture found in Psalms 46:10. Today's letter is about listening to that still small voice of God.
Many people call the still small voice "intuition." Others say it's "a sixth sense." Still others may say it's pure luck or karma. But if you believe in God (and I do), the still small voice is something you instantly know is God getting your attention.
Sometimes, the still small voice tells you to recheck the locks on your car door. Other times, the still small voice reminds you to turn off the coffee pot. From time to time, the still small voice will urge you to take a different route to work or school. Later, you may hear about an accident that occurred on the road you didn't take.
Several times, the still small voice has told me to go to your cribs and check that you're okay. Yes, I've hovered over you many times in your sleep. I've prayed by your bedsides. I've kissed your soft cheeks as you slept unaware that I was even in the room. That's what Moms (and Dads) do.
I'm not sure how to tell you to identify the still small voice. It's different for every person. For me, it's usually a thought, especially when I am busy thinking about something else. It feels sometimes like a tap on my shoulder. There is an overwhelming sense of urgency that accompanies it.
I've never regretted listening to the still small voice, but I have ignored it a couple of times with disastrous results. Staying tuned to the still small voice isn't easy to do in this crazy world of instantaneous communication, hectic schedules, and loaded down to-do lists.
The way I find best to plug into the still small voice is through quiet time, reading my Bible, and prayer. Turn off the television, the computer, the hand-held devices, the games, and the cellular phone. Enjoy the stillness. Think of yourself resting in the palm of God's hand. Don't expect the still small voice to speak every time, but be open to its gentle presence and leading.
Your father practices his quiet time through his photography. In fact, the picture that heads this post is a sunrise he captured recently. He finds God and the still small voice in nature.
While we're on the subject of God and faith, please remember that everyone experiences God differently. I try to be sensitive to the faith traditions of people around me. People worship God in different ways. Some people call God by a different name. And there are lots of people who don't believe in God or who choose not to have a relationship with Him. That is their business, not yours.
There are lots of ways to worship God. Some ways of worshiping God I enjoy. Others, I don't. I respect that other people do enjoy those methods of worshiping God and I don't think it's my place to look down on them for it. It's a matter of taste and style.
There are two principles that I think are very important for Christian living. The first is to love God and be in relationship with Him. The second is to love people. In loving people, we have to give them the space and the time to make up their own mind about God. Watch out for people who say they know a lot about God, or who act as though they've got God figured out. The people I respect the most are the ones who admit that they don't know everything.
Whatever you decide about God and the still small voice, I will always love you and you will always be in my prayers. Don't think that you always have to agree with me on this subject. My mother and I believed very differently on certain matters of faith. I respected my mother's beliefs, even though I didn't necessarily agree with her always. Sometimes, that was really difficult, but always we were united in our love and mutual respect for one another. This is the relationship I hope to have with both of you as we grow old together.
Much love always,
Mom
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