Found

 Psalm 23; John 10:1-10

Recognizing the voice is the theme we hear today for our message. The thing is how do we recognize the voice? There aren't many specifics, there isn't a sign displayed which says voice here, we don't have an indication, or maybe we do. 

So many times in scripture God's voice is not in the big things but in the small. Maybe in the soft wind, or in the night chorus of peep toads, or in the deep silence of our souls. 

This might be why the Psalm is such a favorite. Not only that it brings comfort but the shepherd is beside. Beside the person silently, still, and even in the hardest and darkest of times. 

These images are the ones we tuck into and let enfold us. Especially when were not in the midst of darkness. When the dark days come, and they do come, where do we find ourselves then? Do we still try to find the voice, or have we thrown the voice far from us? 

See we all want to hear the voice calling us. We want it especially in our dark times, yet it seems to be the farthest from us. Until maybe we are silent. Like Elijah.

Elijah was in danger of losing his life. The Queen especially wanted him silenced because he spoke out against her so her husband, the King, was offended as well. Elijah is hiding himself away from being found and there was a famine so food was hard to come by as well. Yet Elijah decides he wants to see God. Not be saved, not have fire rain down, but wants to see God.

So God sends a series of happenings and the story tells us them all. An earthquake happened, but God was not there. A fire happened, but God was not in it. A strong wind happened and still God was not there. Then there was quiet and God was in the quiet. 

When hard times come do we not feel as if the earth is shaking, or we are burning up, or we are being blown apart? It is hard for us to wait for the calm to come and to find God in that calm. Yet this is the image we come to in the Psalm. Still waters, being restored in our soul, it is almost as if the words are the calm, stillness we need. 

So come and walk beside these waters. Be enfolded into God's loving calm. There you will meet God and be healed and restored.