ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz....

Here I am, sitting at the church bookstore after coming off a crazy nightshift! Boy am I tired! I was supposed to be off early (4:30) so I could grab a couple of hours sleep before coming to church but when the time came and we had three pursuits, one after another, I knew that it just wasn't going to happen. But this afternoon when I get home I hope to sleep most of the afternoon away. God showed me something this morning, in the wee hours of the morning, in the middle of the worst rush of the night... I had just sent a warrant confirmation to the wrong detachment and was trying to correct my mistake while answering the phone lines on hold, calling out tow trucks and ambulances, and helping the other patrol cars waiting in queue. In the midst of my frustration and mounting panic, a friend keyed in with his portable (the one I was doing the confirmation for, so he knew how I was feeling right then) and said three simple words when I responded to him. He said, simply and calmly, "Hi.....it's me." I can't tell you what that did to me. It was his way of saying, "It's okay. I know what happened and it's okay". I was immediately calmed and was able to bring everything into focus, relax and do what had to be done without fretting about it. After all, the bad guy was where he belonged and wasn't going anywhere. The confirmation would get done even if it was temporarily delayed by my error.

On the way home I was thinking about life and how in the busiest times of our lives, when we can hardly keep our heads above water for all that is happening around us, God comes to us and whispers "Hi. It's me." He brings our troubles into focus and, in the light of eternity, we realize that this, too, will pass. His calm voice has the power to transform our frustrations and worries into immediate peace and a stillness that only He can bring. But the key is hearing the still small whisper - the calm in the storm - how often do I miss it? How often do I not even try to listen for Him? He knows everything we are going through and can't wait to intrude into our busyness with His message of peace... How it touched me to hear my friend's voice - just when I needed it - telling me it was okay. But how much more do I need to hear the voice of Jesus in the storms of my life? God, teach me to listen more closely for your whisper...