background noise.

As I sit here listening to all the noise that is going on in the house, I am reminded of what I keep telling myself, "just shut off all the background noises!!" I think God says that to me a lot of times as well.

You know what I'm talking about. The music that is played while we drive to work/school, while we are at work. The TV that is on while on the computer, or the cellphone that is on while the TV is on.

and we wonder, "where's God?!"

Maybe, it's the fact that He's been talking over and over, but the background noise is on?

Some won't take the time out of their day just to talk to God, let alone even stop and listen. It's the constant, "I NEED NOISE!" So if we are ourselves won't take the time out of our day to talk, or listen to God. why should He do the same for us?

Psalm 46:10, "be still, and know that I AM God..." notice the first two words of that verse. "be still," then there is a "," after the two words.... it's like taking a breath right after the words are said. "be still," and then it goes on... "and know that I AM God..." Most of us know that God is God. He is "I AM" but we seem to forget the "be still," part don't we? We live in a culture that is go go go and never stop. or the I'll sleep when I'm dead because I am constantly busy. When we don't take the time to be with God and we take the time to do our "busy schedules" it's like we're telling God, "I'm too busy to hang out with you. I'd rather get this all done, and then we can talk. but when we get together I'm going to do the talking and you listen." When it should be the other way around... "I am busy, but I'm going to stop and put what really matters in my life, and be with You, God. Just sit in Your presence and listen."

One of my absolute favorite verses': 1 Kings 19:11-12 - it's when God appears to Elijah.. Elijah goes out and stands on the mountain and God passes through.. there was a wind, earthquake, and fire; but God wasn't in any of those. He was in the soft gentle whisper.

Isn't that crazy to think about? Out of all that chaos that had happened right in front of Elijah God was only in the still and quiteness. God didn't come out in this LOUD BOOMING VOICE. He came in the soft gentle whisper.

I think many of times we think God is out to get us, and when He does find us, He's going to have this huge voice and just tear us apart.

It's the total opposite!

His grace and love cover us.

So, as I now sit in silence, because I turned the TV off half way through typing this, I am embraced in God's presence. I am thankful for when God reminds me to shut off the background noise and stop the busy schedule - even for ministry, because without His presence, I can't carry on filling others up, when I need to be filled up with God myself.

Shut off the background noise.

I'll be doing the same.