The foghorn and the still small voice

I often park next to the lighthouse in Mouille Point because there is a lovely big playpark there for Matthew. I have wondered how the people living near the foghorn feel about the noise when it goes off in winter. Does it bother them? Does it wake them up at night if it starts when they are asleep, or does it keep them awake if it is sounding when they go to bed? One day when we got back from our walk in Sea Point, after quite a while I noticed that the foghorn was sounding. It had taken quite some time for me to notice the sound. It was a low sound, soft and gentle, yet far-reaching, and after listening to it I thought that it was quite pleasant, and that if I was in bed at night and heard it, I would find it quite comforting. I enjoyed listening to it.

In the same way the Spirit speaks to us in a still, small voice. We may not notice it if we aren’t listening for it, just as I didn’t notice the foghorn at first, but if we do hear it and listen to it, it is comforting and we will enjoy it. “The Lord was not in the wind… not in the earthquake… not in the fire, but after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19: 11 & 12).

I was surprised that the foghorn was sounding because there was only a slight seamist in the air. In the same way, the Spirit may warn us when there is only a slight danger, or when we aren’t expecting it. We need to attune our ears so that we will hear Him whenever He speaks to us, just as the Nephites had to open their ears to hear God speak to them just before Christ appeared. “They did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it” (3 Nephi 11: 5).