Only a whisper

Dear God,

This is Kelley.

Paul was in prison in Caesarea for over two years. Your ways, Lord, are not often our ways. Paul could have been preaching in far more cities during those two years; but, You had him stay there preaching, witnessing to You to those who watched him closely.

In Acts, I read that You assured Paul that things would be fine -- You told him he was to witness to You in Rome. How did You assure him, Lord? Through others' words to him? Through a dream? Or did You speak to him as You spoke before his conversion, dramatically, so he could hear with his ears and see light with his eyes?

We say we long to hear You like the people of the Bible heard You -- in burning bushes, through the presence of angels, in flashing lights. But we don't see this, and I bet Paul didn't either following his conversion. You whisper when we read Your Word. You whisper when we pray. You whisper when our hearts are open, not when we are stubbornly looking for drama.

"The LORD said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave" (1Kings 19:11-13).

Show us, Lord, how to be open, how to hear Your whisper, how to let go of what we think You should do and let You do what You do best, saving us. Remind us that saving us takes a long, long time as You teach, lead, point out, remind, purge, reprimand, affirm, ask, delight, anger, and awe us. Life is about You, and You include all else that is important and worthy.

May we rest in the fact that You know what You are doing. May we give control over to You. May we trust, especially when all we hear is a whisper.