Quiet my soul.

Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before GOD. GOD will pass by." A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before GOD, but GOD wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but GOD wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but GOD wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper. When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, "So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?" (1 Kings 19: 11-13, MSG)

I read these passages of scripture a few nights ago. I've heard this story before, may have even read it before, but this time the words jumped out at me and stayed with me much time later. Sharing a relationship with Jesus almost 15 years now, I'm ashamed to admit it's taken me this long to sit down and read his word from the beginning to the end. The Lord was tapping on my heart's door this summer, to get into his word and he even blessed me with a driving hunger for it. I've had the blessing of being part of bible study and devouring books at the time in deep study but never have I really read the entire holy book. I've read through the first 5 books a number of times, read through many new testament books but this was different. I felt an urging of the Holy Spirit to really hunker down and read it through. I needed a plan. So I put into action a plan to read the bible through in 90 days. I did the research and it can be done. Listen, I've read plenty of much lengthier books in that amount of time and perhaps even shorter. In 9th grade I read Treasure Island in one day. Now it took me an entire day, nonstop, but I did it. I found a great website with instructions and a schedule. I printed off a calendar for the summer months and made a plan. You know where this is going. I won't even list all the lame excuses as to why I haven't finished the bible now that summer is almost over. I will say my thirst for the word has continued and I'm still reading just not doing 20 pages a day, every day. Now it's more like 2-5. So back to the scriptures. I believe there will be times (many) when the Lord will give you a prodding through occurrences to help you get where HE wants you to be. Last week, I saw a friend's facebook post: "Homeschool moms, when do you get in your quiet time?" I almost commented then I read all the posts on her thread. Almost every single one of them said, in the morning before the kids get up. My comment (that I didn't write): "at night when the kids go to bed". Devotion time? In the bathroom, with or without children barging in. Honesty always a good policy. I got to thinking, or rather the spirit started prodding on my heart strings, "was this really the kind of quiet time the Lord wanted me to have with him?" Nighttime readings when I can barely keep my eyes open and bathroom devotions? No, I kinda think not.
So, fast forward a few days, I see the scripture and can't get it out of my brain. God doesn't show up to Elijah in the hurricane, wind or the earthquake. He shows up in a gentle, quiet voice. No wonder I can't hear him speaking, I'm trying to connect with him in my sleep and with children pounding on a bathroom door!
Fast forward to today, yep. Our small group lesson this morning included a teaching on idols. The "things" in your life that take away from your worship. Our teach put items up like: family, money, health, tv, leisure, ect. This is what kept popping up in my mind, "my bed". Really, I worship sleep. I can't bear to loose 2 precious hours of sleep in order to spend time with my Heavenly Father.
Fast forward 1 more hour. Our pastor's sermon was about Nathanael, the apostle of Jesus. He's discussing how Nathanael had an intimate quiet time with the Lord. "I saw you under the fig tree." The fig tree was Nathanael's quiet place to go and study. That's how he knew right away Jesus was the Son of God. Pastor then says, the number 1 reason the church today is so disconnected is because there is too much noise in our lives. We need to disconnect in order to connect to God. He said, "we need to find a fig tree."
So yes, after the Holy Spirit's prodding and learning from wiser ones than I, I'm making a sincere effort to find a fig tree. A quiet time just for me and the Lord. When I can quiet my soul, pray for my boys earnestly, pray for my lost family members and friends, read his word not just to get it done but to find treasure in it that I can apply for that very day. A fig tree, besides my bathroom, so I can study my devotion and really understand the nugget of knowledge set for me on that day, everyday. Perhaps, the Lord has big plans for me, once I spend more one-on-one time with him. I bet he does.