December 14

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. 

1 Kings 19:11-13

You are surrounded by the noise of our culture: TV, radio, washers, dryers, cars. It’s so much noise that you have become accustomed to it, and silence is sometimes scary. The scripture today gives insight how God likes to communicate with you. And that is with a gentle whisper. Gentle is described as “controlled power.” God has controlled His power, the power that created the universe, to whisper to you how much He loves you. In the quiet birth of His Son, He has blessed the world with the power of His love.

Father, help me to be still today, even if it’s only for a moment, and enjoy the gentle whisper of Your love. Hold me close so Your love will help me to love others for You today. Amen.

Fourteenth-Day Activities

Tonight during dinner, turn off the TV. Turn off the radio or music. Listen to each other, really listen. Look your children in the eye as they explain their day. Ask them questions about their interests. Listen to your spouse. Look your spouse in the eye as he or she explains their day. Maybe you can all do the dishes together tonight. And what would happen if you didn’t turn on the TV at all? No movies either. Play a table game with your children. Listen to their laughter and notice their joy at being the center of your attention. 

And as you prepare for bed, stop and listen. You will be able to hear His whisper. You will be able to hear Him tell you He loves you. And you don’t even have to climb a mountain!

Play the quiet game. Choose a time limit, and make sure everyone knows how long the time will be. Set a timer if it would help younger children to understand. When you say “go,” no one can make a sound for that amount of time. You can go about your evening. See who is the first to forget and say something. This game is especially good for smaller children in the car, and parents love it. But remember, you can’t talk between yourselves either!