Those of us on a spiritual journey know what that sort of discernment looks like in our own lives. The feelings, nudgings, voices, dreams, and wonderings that cause us to follow the voice within. A still, small voice that says, “Talk to that person.” A good nudging that says, “Move to this new town.” A powerful moment when we feel pulled to a new job, community organization, or task. It is in these times we lean into the still, small voice within. We learn to trust what the Spirit is asking us to do. We learn to lean into the wonderful promise of life, wholeness, joy, and fulfillment that the Spirit has for us.
This season at Saint Andrew’s we are using Prayer form VI from the Book of Common Prayer. The last line of that prayer is, “Lord, let your loving kindness be upon them; who put their trust in you.” Leaning into that still, small voice is just one way we learn to trust in God. And every single time we do it, we seem to discover more and more kindness of the Divine.
Yesterday, was the feast day of Elizabeth and Zechariah. We know the story presented in Luke 1. If there were ever people who were able to lean into God’s still, small voice within and trust God, we believe it would have been them. If there was anyone who lived in the spirited joy of God, we would have expected it to be them. Scripture tells us they lived a godly, holy, and righteous life. He was a priest. They prayed, followed the commandments, and lived blamelessly. They were good people who went to church a lot. And yet, despite doing all the right things they were unable to have children.
As Zechariah was always in church, he found himself doing his normal priestly job one day. I’m sure Zechariah had fired the incense up more times than he could count. It is reminiscent of our routines - the hundreds of times we have shown up to church to clean the altar, or set up for Sunday, or count money, or practice our guitar solo; or our daily routines of morning prayer, yoga, meditation, and nature walks. Jeremiah had done this task thousands of times. It was a normal day. Like most of us, he probably would have considered it a blessed day if he heard a still, small voice inside. And yet, on this day, God makes Godself known in extraordinarily powerful ways. This day’s voice is not still and small. Instead, it is a full angel who is standing in the presence of God and who is a direct conduit communicating directly from God to Zechariah. And, the message the angel has for them is beyond belief, beyond anything Zechariah or Elizabeth could have asked or imagined.
Not only will Zechariah and Elizabeth have a son, which will fill them with joy and gladness, but that son will be filled with the Holy Spirit, return people to a relationship with God, become a great leader, and prepare people to hear the good news of God. I’d say that is a great, wonderful, and amazing thing! It is beyond their wildest imaginations.
That’s how God’s vision for our lives always works. As we say in morning prayer, “Glory to God whose power, working within us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever” (Ephesians 3:20). God certainly did more than Zechariah and Elizabeth asked or imagined, God certainly spoke in ways which were new, different, and powerful - ways that they had not heard before.
So, if you find yourself listening to the still, small voices, if you find yourself learning how to discern and trust in God a little more each day, be watchful! For it is highly possible that God is about to show up in ways beyond imagination to surprise us, to startle us, to direct us, to speak to us, and to bring us joy and gladness. Friends, go forth to listen!
