So You Can Hear

This morning I listened to a portion of Durham Mayor Steve Schewel's address to the city, in which he described a "Stay At Home" order for the people of Durham.  We've been seeing similar efforts pop up around the country - in small counties and big cities, in states and whole countries, as leaders grapple with how best to protect the public. 

My daughter Grace tuned in to his address with me for a few minutes, and I was surprised when Mayor Schewel said (I'm paraphrasing), "I have a message for pastors: arrange to make regular voice to voice contact with every one of your congregants, so you can hear how they are doing and if they have any special needs that you can work to meet.  Of course, in some larger churches it may not be feasible for one person to contact everyone, but these churches will have congregational leaders who can help." 

Then, while I was sitting there with my daughter (who is studying for her art degree from home right now), Mayor Schewel said (I'm paraphrasing), "I have a message for artists: we need your art.  We need you poets to be sharing your poems every day.  We need you musicians to share your music - every day - to feed our spirits and souls and remind us of the beauty in the world." 

That makes six times and counting, in the past week alone, I have had the experience of wondering, or praying, about something very specific, and in the next moment, someone is calling me with a rather specific answer.  I sit down with my daughter, a pastor and an artist on a couch, and I happen to tune in to the 10 minute portion of the mayor of Durham talking to the city with a live update in which he says "Here is a message for pastors.  Here is a message for artists."  I have a feeling I'm about to lose count how many times these meaningful intersections occur.  I think about someone who I haven't heard from in awhile, and I call or email them, and they respond that "God must have told you we were just talking about you."  It seems to me that these are not coincidences.  I believe there is something spiritual, something relational, going on.

Maybe in the midst of this great global slowdown, our spiritual ears are becoming unclogged.  Maybe the great quiet which is settling in on the nations is enabling us to pay more attention to God's "still, small voice." 

There's a story in the Old Testament about the prophet Elijah.  Elijah has done a very extreme version of "social distancing", fearing not a virus but a very angry human enemy.  He runs off into the wilderness and is exhausted, hungry, and feels he may die alone.  (I think we might be able to relate - the bible doesn't say it but I don't think he had any toilet paper either!!)  1 Kings 19, verses 11 and following, say,

"Then God said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord."  And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
"So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance to the cave.  Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?""

Elijah replies that he is afraid that he is about to be killed, even though he has been faithful to God.  God reveals to him that he can go back home, that he is not alone, that in addition to God's abiding presence, there are thousands of others who also have a heart for serving God.

In our current circumstance, we have a virus rather than an army.  And now, we are adjusting to a new normal.  The new quiet.  The impending fear.  The worry about isolation or not enough resources.  We can relate to this story!  In the midst of this pandemic, I encourage you to pause and turn off the news for a little while every day.  Turn up the sensitivity of your spiritual ears, to listen for the still small voice.  Ask God for the answers to your questions.  Listen for who comes to mind.  Pray for them - right then and there!  Give them a call!  Pour out your fears to God, and ask God to reassure you.  Lean on your friends.  Give your pastor a call!  Share a blessing with a neighbor (from a safe distance!).  May we learn a new appreciation for the new quietness, so we can hear. Take a moment to thank God for all of the blessings God has given.

"God, thank you for the many blessings you have given.  For homes and food, for phones and schools, for friends and family and our church.  Speak to us anew, and give us ears to hear your voice.  Grant us the courage, the creativity, to deepen our trust in you, to go where you call us to go and to stay where you call us to stay.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen."