Still, Small Voice

I am so grateful that when Jesus ascended back into Heaven, he promised that the Holy Spirit would come to dwell within each believer.  I am convinced that the peace I’ve come to know is a gift from the Holy Spirit.  His voice isn’t audible, but if you are paying attention, it is unmistakable.  It is a still, small voice—thoughts of scripture that suddenly come to mind just when you need them; gentle tugs at your heart as you hear a message or a spiritual song. 

Whether it’s convicting or comfort that you need, the Holy Spirit is gently dealing with your heart.  I knew it the day I realized that Jesus died to pay for my sins.  Though I was in a room packed full of other campers, I knew just as surely as I know my own name that God was talking to  me.  He was compelling  me.  I responded immediately and as my counselor read to me John 3:16, I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and be my Savior. 

That was 34 years ago last month.  What a blessing to accept Jesus as a child.  I had plenty of opportunity to exercise childlike faith.  I fully accepted that the Bible was God’s divine word and I still trust it as such.  Years of Sunday School and VBS provided a motivating environment to learn Bible verses.  (Yes, the teachers gave us reward stickers or ribbons, but I tell you what—I still know those verses!) I do remember the teachers telling us that the reason we learned the Scripture was actually given to us in the Bible (of course!).  Psalm 119:11 says “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  and later in verse 105 of that same chapter: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

The path of my life has been rather ordinary, I suppose.  The last ten years have had some sections that felt increasingly difficult, but that Still, Small Voice kept reminding me of God’s goodness.  In each test, there has been a Scripture that came to mind to bring comfort—to light my path, if you will.  With Jeff’s initial diagnosis it was 2 Corinthians 12:9, the verse I have featured in the blog banner.  When he relapsed, it was Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.  Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the LORD Jehovah is everlasting strength.”

The verse that keeps speaking to me this time is found in Ecclesiastes 3:11.  It says, “He hath made everything beautiful in His time.”  Now, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that there is really nothing pretty about cancer.  But that Still, Small Voice keeps assuring me that this is just  a part of something beautiful that God is making.   And I am listening.  And trusting.