In the last few chapters we have looked at what Pete Greig calls the external voice of God – in Jesus himself, in the Bible and in prophecy. In this chapter he begins the second part where he considers the internal voice – God’s whisper.
Summary
5 – Hearing God’s Whisper: God often speaks to us in subtle, gentle whispers and so it is easy to miss his voice. Look at Jesus and you will see that God is not pushy or intrusive. ‘The Truth must dazzle gradually,’ as one poet wrote. And he is patient with us. He is meek and gentle. Jesus happily just passes by rather than pushing himself into our space. We often want great dramatic displays of supernatural power so God’s voice is spectacularly clear. But we must learn to listen to his whisper in the ordinary, dull, anti-climatic non-events of life. This is what the desperate Elijah had to learn on the mountain. The couple on the Emmaus road were ‘kept’ from recognising Jesus – reminding us we need a work of grace by the Holy Spirit to be able to see Jesus! And Jesus took time and care to help them to see – asking questions and listening, opening up Scripture to them, and coming into their home to sit down, share a meal and break bread. He deals with this couple compassionately and gradually until they recognise it is him. He deals with us the same way still.
Some Key Quotes
…God is speaking to you more than you realise, and that you can truly converse with him at a level of intimacy you may never have previously imagined possible. (p. 147).
Dramatic revelations impress, for sure, but they can also intimidate, dominate and alienate those on the receiving end. And so [God] chooses to whisper in our ear way more often than he shouts from the skies. (p. 152).
Sometimes we miss God’s presence because he no longer appears to us, or speaks to us, in the familiar ways of yesterday. (p. 153).
Hearing God, then, is not just a technique that you perfect, but a grace that you receive. (p. 157).
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- Why do you think that we might often want God to speak to us in dramatic and spectacular ways?
- On reflection, do you think that there have been times you have missed God’s word to you because it came in a way you did not expect?
- How can we position ourselves to allow Jesus gradually to reveal himself to us?
There is a PDF version of this study here.