Eyes Adjusting

"Now there was a great wind... 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 sound of sheer silence."

Like Elijah discovering God in the still small voice rather than the dramatic displays of power, we learn that our spiritual senses adjust to perceive God's presence in unexpected places. When familiar reference points disappear, our eyes adjust - and we begin to see God working through grassroots organizing, sanctuary efforts, teachers protecting students, community members caring for one another. As winter slowly gives way, we develop spiritual night vision that allows us to perceive the sacred in resistance movements and quiet acts of love. Barbara Brown Taylor teaches us that "when you can't see where you're going, you rely on what you hear, smell, and feel." This week we explore contemplative practices that sharpen spiritual awareness, learning to pray with our whole selves and pay attention to what we usually miss. God speaks in the silence, and we can learn to listen.