The protesters have come to Washington and gone—250,000 of them, according to reports, who easily must have spent between five and ten million dollars to do their thing. Some were high schoolers, others—such as the perennial Dr. Spock and folk singer Pete Seeger—were on the oldish side. On Friday afternoon as the marchers filed by the White House, each bearing a placard with the name of someone who had died in Viet Nam, nature erupted in a fury of lightning, thunder, high winds, heavy rain, and hail. Was there any meaning?
It brought to mind an experience of Elijah recorded in First Kings 19. He had fled to Horeb after his great success against the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. God met him at Horeb and passed by him. There was “a great and strong wind … [that] broke in pieces the rocks … but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” This was the voice of God.
God is speaking today; of that there is no doubt. But how is he speaking, what is he saying, and through whom does he speak in this age of unrest? Most important of all: Who is listening for his voice? And who, like young Samuel, is ready to say, “Speak, for thy servant hears”—and will obey?
