Recently at my placement in Berlin, Germany, I heard a sermon that described a poem. As I was trying to capture the idea of the poem, two lines really stood out to me and immediately struck my heart: "Ich komme leise. Liebe kommt immer leise." Or "I come quietly. Love always comes quietly."
The poem in its entirety (translated) reads as follows:
Sometimes
you must
look back.
Otherwise you see nothing.
Sometimes
you must
listen.
Otherwise you hear nothing.
The glaring pictures
the schrill tones
are not mine.
I come quietly.
Love
always comes quietly.
Unlock your purposes!
Unlock your heart!
Then I am there.
And there I will stay.
This idea of "Liebe kommt immer leise" has really challenged me to consider what it means when God comes to meet me in my everyday routine. I really feel like God teaches me the most or speaks to me in the quiet and subtle moments, rather than in a theatrical way. I often find myself expecting him to part the clouds and make things supernaturally clear to me in a grandiose gesture. Of course, God has used many momentous occasions in the Bible, such as speaking to Moses with a burning bush. And He certainly still performs miraculous events today! But God is an invisible God, who comes in His own timing, often doing work within us and speaking to us more often than not while we don't even notice it until we take a moment to reflect and look back upon our experience.
I've found myself desiring more of God's quiet input, in all the small moments of the day. I want to take hold and make the most of each one. I've realized I must be intentional about slowing down and quieting myself so that I can really see and really listen to what God is speaking to me.
This line also reminds me of Aslan from Narnia, how quiet and gentle his character is, while being fierce, wild, and powerful at the same time.
May we all have new eyes and new hearts to listen, see, and understand what the Lord is speaking to us!