Life jacket, oxygen mask, whistle and light to attract attention, take note of the exit signs!
My screaming mind was racing with questions as the flight attendants gave their calm demonstration. Exit! How does one exit a moving plane? I selected my favourite “All Sons and Daughters” song, stuffed the earbuds in my ears, and tried to distract myself as the ground soared away from me.
Suddenly, the word SILENCE appeared, written across the sky of my imagination by the hand of God.
SILENCE. Something I had been seeking for the past few months. As a busy home school mother of five, silence was a rarity indeed. I had been seeking an ‘Elijah mountain-top experience’ to no avail.
1 Kings 19:11-12:
”Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD’s presence.” At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs 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. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.”
I was seeking that soft whisper. However, noisy boys shooting missiles, superhero impersonations, hair and clothing dramas were the wind and earthquake masking the still, quiet whisper. How could I hear a whisper in the cacophony of noise all around me? As the words of the song played in my ears, I felt an overwhelming presence of God. There in the plane, with my sweaty palms and racing heart, I felt a calmness and silence come over me. Silence! How could I experience the very thing I sought in a noisy plane with a crowd of strangers?
2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (NIV)
At the times when we feel we can’t accomplish or conquer something, God comes quickly to our rescue. God spoke to me and gave me His SILENCE and peace when I couldn’t have created it for myself. God spoke to me and said, “My silence has always been with you.” I can come into the presence of His silence any time, any place. God can meet our needs and give us His presence whenever we desire it.
Philippians 4:19 says,
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (HCSB)
As the plane prepared for landing, I felt like I was landing back on earth in more ways than one. The beautiful journey I travelled with Holy Spirit on that one hour flight was memorable and life-changing. God is there, waiting for us to call out to Him. He will come to answer your call.
And in the silence, I heard His whisper:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)