The Whisper

 

When my girls were young, we would sit in church and I would feel a tug on my sleeve. I would bend down and tilt my head toward my little one in her Sunday dress and black patent leather shoes as she whispered a question or request in my ear, "Mommy, when can we eat?" or "Do you have a pencil?" or "I need a tissue, Mom."

I also think of a time when Jim and I were at a solemn event and something tickled my husband. Before he ever got a chance to say anything to me, I knew what he was up to and I wouldn't make eye contact with him but it was too late. His whispered "one-liner" got the best of me and I melted into uncontrollable silent laughter. My shoulders were shaking and I was holding my breath and biting my cheek so as to not burst out during the very serious service.

And then there are the times when we whisper, "I love you"--that wonderful, intimate, life-giving phrase.

In the Bible, there is an account of a man named Elijah. He was a truth teller and the evil king and queen of his day wanted to do away with him. He ran for his life and hid in a cave. After sleeping and eating, Elijah was instructed that God was going to come and that he should look for Him.

It's recorded that, "a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks," but the Lord was not in the wind.  Then the scripture says, "there was an earthquake," but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  Next "came a fire" but the Lord was not in the fire.  "And after the fire came a gentle whisper."  The Lord was in the whisper.  The presence of God was so palpable that Elijah covered his face.

How many times have I looked for God to show up in a big, power-filled way?  "Please be obvious," I pray. How many times have I missed the wonderful sweet intimacy of the "whisper."  Whispers correct and instruct without embarrassment.  Whispers share one-on-one tenderness.  Whispers signal, "I am yours and you are mine."  Whispers say, "I love you."

In the Old Testament, Isaiah writes, "Give ear and come to me;   listen, that you may live."   My paraphrase of those words is, "tilt your head toward me and listen real carefully;  I have life-giving words to tell you."  God is in the whisper.