His Quiet Whisper

Bedtime is an all-hands-on-deck situation in our house. When eight o’clock hits, there are several minutes of full-on chaos with children running around half-dressed, diffusers to fill, sound machines to turn on, and teeth to brush. I’m sure it looks the same at your house. There is so much commotion. Once we get everyone ready we pile on our oldest son’s bed to read a Bible story. We get two sentences into the story only to be interrupted because one child still needs a drink of water and the other needs his stuffed animal. We eventually get through the story and the bedtime routine. Then finally, the lights turn off and the room stills. My husband takes our youngest to rock him, while I cuddle up in my three-year old’s bed to pray and chat for a few minutes.

One of the most chaotic times of day leads to one of the most peaceful. My son and I have had some of the best conversations in the dark, stillness just before he falls asleep. We talk about faith and chat dinosaurs. I tell him of lessons that I learned in my childhood, and he tells all about his favorite parts of the day. He would talk all night if I would let him, but eventually, I have to cut him off so that he will get enough sleep. We say our normal “I love yous” and I reassure him that I will always keep him safe. Then, just before I get up from his bed, I have him lean in really close and whisper some truth into his ear. Some nights I say, “You make me so happy,” and others I use it as an opportunity to help him see himself the way God sees him by saying, “You are so handsome,” or “You are such a good brother.”

I can tell this is his favorite part of the night. Whatever I end up telling him, he beams from ear to ear, and I know that my message for him will be imprinted deeply in his heart. I could tell him these truths without whispering them in his ear. In fact, I often do. However, the intentionality of making him stop and lean in close makes him draw near to me. It connects us, and through that connection, I signal to him the importance of what I am about to tell him.

Recently, God used this nighttime routine that I have with my little man to speak to my own heart. He reminded me of 1 Kings 19 where Elijah is seeking to hear from the Lord. God wasn’t in the chaos of the wind, or the earthquake, or even the fire. No, God was in the quiet whisper. This whisper drew Elijah out of the cave that he was in and nearer to his Creator. It wasn’t until Elijah came near that He heard the message that God had for him.

God could have easily spoken through the roaring of the wind, the might of the earthquake, or the intensity of the fire, but He didn’t. Instead, He chose to speak in a way that drew Elijah near him. He wanted the intimacy of a quiet whisper. Friend, God wants the same with you and me. How often does God try to draw us near to Him so that He can speak deep into our hearts? So often I think that we are looking at the earthquakes of life for God to speak, but often it is in the stillness and silence that He speaks truth into our hearts.  He speaks in the mundane moments of motherhood. He whispers on the long commutes to work, and over the endless piles of dishes. Much like the chaos of bedtime precedes the quiet whisper with my son, and the roaring wind led to the quiet whisper of God, we often to silence the busy chaos of our own lives to hear Him whisper.

If only we will come out of our “caves” and lean into him. He wants to speak to you, friend. You are His beloved child and He has a truth for you that He want you to hear. More than that, He wants you to draw closer into Him. He loves you and wants to connect with you. Will you lean into His quiet whisper?