A Still, Small Click

---

"And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."

1 King 19:12, KJV

There are only about six words my boy knows (he’s known for his looks, not his brains): 

sit, settle, wait, shake, release, and deck.

Yes. Deck.

Squirrel is obsessed with our deck; it’s by far his favorite space in the house. A few weeks ago I needed to have some rotted wood on the rails replaced and wouldn’t let him go outside until it was fixed. He was one mopey boy.

In fact, Squirrel loves the deck so much that he will come sprinting from any room, any floor in the house when he hears the back lock click. It’s actually quite impressive. He could be in a dead sleep in the bedroom which is up a level and on the opposite side of the house, and all I have to do is quietly turn the lock, and here he comes like a bat out of hell.

Yet, when we’re in the dog park and I’m yelling for him to come, somehow he can’t hear it.

Noticed I didn’t include “come” as one of the six words that Squirrel knows.

I long to be as in tune to the Lord’s voice as Squirrel is to the thing that he most loves. To live in such a way that no matter where I am, no matter how loud the noises around me, no matter how quiet that still, small voice, I can pick it out.

So how do I get there? Just by hoping? 

I think it takes more intentionally. It takes actively listening and providing space in the day for Him to speak. It takes knowing the Word so I can distinguish between His voice and my own. It takes patience, knowing there are times when He is silent, and I need to still consistently show up.

The world is loud. Oh, is it ever. I’ll be on a Zoom call, with a Slack IM sounding, my phone ringing with my boss calling, the swishing noise of a new email coming in, and someone standing next to my desk mouthing “are you on a call?”

My pulse is racing even writing the words. 

No, hearing the Lord’s voice is the noisy life will rarely happen by accident. I need to listen for the click, signaling the unlocking of a better life. My “deck” is His presence. He is waiting by the door, but I’ll miss it if I’m not listening.

Work yells for my attention

Ads shout for my devotion

Trends scream for my retention

I’m going deaf in this commotion

Come whisper in my ear,

Lord, I’m desperate to hear

Your still small voice

through all of this noise

Your still small voice

It’s a daily choice

to find peace

on my knees

deafening sea

I

won’t

 let 

you 

rob 

me

of the still small voice