Have you ever felt like you don't get answers when you pray or questioned whether the Spirit is giving you guidance? Have your kids ever asked you related questions. Here's a fun object lesson that compliments the following scripture (I Kings 19:11-12):
11) And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12) And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
- iPod or similar device (personal mp3 player) with inexpensive ear buds loaded with a great speech or audio version of the scriptures
- Radio or CD player (without headset)
- Have a contemporary song to play (in my younger days that would probably have been an Earth, Wind, & Fire song - they are still one of my favorite bands) for the CD player or have the radio tuned to a pop hits channel.
Gather your family together and give the iPod to one of your children with the sound volume turned all the way down. Have your child turn the volume up slowly until they can hear and understand what is being said (note the room should be relatively quite - no radio, TV ...). Now turn radio or CD player on with the volume loud enough that everyone can enjoy that music. Then ask the child with the iPod if they can still hear the talk or scriptures. Like magic that voice has been silenced!
In order to hear the whisperings of the Spirit, as our Father in Heaven tries to help us, we need to listen (really listen). If we are always plugged into the world (TV, radio, iPod, PlayStation ...) then we will miss what He is trying to tell us.
Awesome! Our kids at church did a lesson like that, where the teacher tried to whisper something to one child while the others were talking loudly. It worked well, and is true! We need to turn down the volume of the world to hear the Spirit.
ReplyDelete:)
Very interesting exercise.
ReplyDeleteWe are now a plugged in species. It can even be suggested that humans aren't in fact, talking to other humans.
We could certainly learn to lower the volume, in many areas, so we can hear the voice of our reason.