Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Lloyd Newell each Sunday during the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. This will be given Sunday, April 24.
The words from the 46th Psalm, “Be still, and know that I am God” (verse 10), are an invitation to peace and reassurance that resonates through the ages.
We don’t know whether the prophet Elijah was familiar with this psalm when he sought refuge on Mount Horeb. But Elijah certainly learned the truth of what the psalm teaches: that God is found in stillness. Elijah was the bold, courageous prophet who had defied powerful monarchs and called down fire from heaven. But his miracles had only made his enemies more hostile, and now his life was in danger.
So, Elijah fled to a quiet, solitary cave on Horeb, “the mount of God” (1 Kings 19:8). It was also known as Sinai, where Moses had encountered God in a burning bush and where the Ten Commandments were revealed amid thunder, lightning and earthquakes (see Exodus 3:1-6; 19:16-25; 20). But this time, the Lord spoke in a different — perhaps unexpected — way:
“Behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11–12).
God could easily amaze us with loud, imposing demonstrations of His power. But most of the time, He doesn’t. Instead, He whispers — gently, quietly, softly. Perhaps this is because He knows that in our chaotic world, what we need most from Him is peace. But He doesn’t want to force it upon us. He speaks to those who sincerely want to hear, who make the effort to hear. And it does take effort. It means striving to mute the noise in our lives, to clear the clutter from our minds and the pride from our hearts. It means seeking sacred moments alone with the Lord. Simply stated, if we slow down and be still, we will know that He is God.
Tuning in …
The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is available on KSL-TV, KSL Radio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirectTV, SiriusXM Radio (Ch. 143), thetabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (must enable skill). The program is aired live on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on many of these outlets. Look up broadcast information by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.
