Friday, September 16, 2016

September 16: Listening Past the Noise


I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” —Psalm 116:1-2 (NIV)

Our world is filled with violent noise. The drums of war beat constantly in our culture, and the horns of anger blow constantly in our ears from the time we wake up in the morning until the time we lay down our heads at night. There are innocent people being murdered in our streets, and neighbors shouting blame on each other over their bodies. Our politicians, our newscasters, our civic leaders, and even our sisters, and even our brothers yell at one another in a constant concert of fear-filled violence. And where is our God?

Elijah knew that God was not in the raging fire, or the thunderous earthquake, or the whipping wind. God was in the silence. We know that God is not in the yelling, or the hatred, or the violence, or the murder. God is in the silence. It is important for us to find a quiet place where we can talk to God, and listen for God’s plan. It is also important for us to be a quiet place for others. Simply by listening to someone else’s story, YOU have the power to show them God’s love.

Let us pray: Loving God, We have ears to hear, so let us hear someone else’s cry for mercy so they may know your love as we do. You are the perfect instrument of God’s love in your world.

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Ryan McCormick
is a seminarian at Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. He lives in Bardstown, Kentucky with his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Emily.
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Our 2016 prayer vigil theme is Helping Our Children Heal from Violence. For more resources visit  disciplesjustice4children.org and docfamiliesandchildren.org. 

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