Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 — Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.
A STILL, SMALL VOICE IN THE SILENCE
At night, when I’m about to go to sleep, I sit on the edge of my bed and pray. Though the people (and pets) I pray for are constant, the words vary.
Sometimes I get straight to it: “Dear Lord, thank you for the blessings of the day. Please watch over…” Sometimes, though, I talk as if I’m having a conversation. “Oh Lord, what an angry and harsh world we have.” “Dear Lord, today please especially look over the soul of my friend who has passed into your kingdom.” “Lord, why am I so angry? Why am I so agitated?” I actually carry on as if I was talking to a person in the flesh before turning to the meat of the prayer.
Regardless, in that second before I start, I pause. I center myself, prepare my thoughts. Sometimes I have to also push one of our dogs or our cat off me so I do it properly. But for a moment, I am silent. In that silence, I feel God’s presence. “Go ahead,” I can feel God saying. “There’s nothing you think, feel or say that I don’t already know, but I want to hear you say it.” Lying or being evasive won’t help. God already knows.
While there are times when I’m frustrated and wonder if God is truly there with me, more often than not I know God is. Maybe it’s seeing a family pray before they put a loved one on a plane. Maybe it’s in the warmth of companionship when we serve a community breakfast. Maybe it’s when I see someone perform an act of kindness for a stranger while others walk by. It happens again and again, here and everywhere, small and large. We don’t have to see God separate the waters of the Red Sea, talk from the burning bush or send an angel to us. God can be there, speaking to us in the still, small voice, just as God spoke to Elijah. God speaks to us in that same voice.
Speak Lord, your people are listening. Or at least we should be.
Gracious Lord, you are there with us in all types of moments, in all kinds of places. Let us be still enough to hear you and live as you expect us to. Amen
Ken Hobart
[Lenten Index | Tomorrow]