No Words Just Presence

Sometimes there are no words. Sometimes it is just enough to be present. Life does not need constant noise. Rather, we are called into the uncomfortable echoes of the deafening silence. Elijah, one of Israel’s most impactful prophets, was hiding out on the mountain of God for fear of his life (1 Kings 19). Elijah had hoped that God’s mountain would provide the answers. Elijah had hoped that God would speak. Elijah had hoped for ease in this. How often in our lives do we hope for ease? How often do we hope that God would speak to us? How often do we hope for answers?

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“11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking 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, 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”” (1 Kings).

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When I think of great winds, I hear whirls and sirens and blustery gusts. When I think of an earthquake, I perceive rattling and breaking and unsteadiness. When I think of fire, I feel heat and swelling and confinement. In life we can all have times that feel chaotic, unsteady, confining, and vulnerable; and, most importantly, we hope for presence. Sometimes the most blessed thing that we experience is not answers or displays of power. Rather, the best thing we can give is to simply be present!

God’s presence was not in the winds, earthquakes or fire (which were ancient events associated with gods). What was it that God was in? Silence. In that Elijah knew that God was with him. God’s presence surrounded him. Hundreds of years later, what is the name that Joseph was to call Mary’s (and God’s son)? Emmanuel, which means God is with us. God’s presence is always with us: in bad times, in good times, in troubling times, in easy times, in times that we want answers, in times that we just want someone to listen, and in times when we just want to sit and be!

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When we say that life is happening to us; when loved ones are dying, when we’re celebrating, when we experience God’s otherness there is little that we can do besides be. We don’t need to speak. We don’t need to rush to take a picture. We don’t even need to prayer. Perhaps God is trying to meet us right there in that moment of silence so that we can let God be with us! Certainly in time then, yes, we can take the picture or say a prayer or even cry out. So, let us take those moments of being with God as the blessing they can be and may we extend those moments to the ones we love. Amen.