Bill Hybels concludes Chapter 1 (“Samuel’s Ear”) of The Power of a Whisper by emphatically stating that he has learned, through his life-long walk with God, that even God’s tough assignments are precious entrustments. God does not call us into sacrificial roles without supplying us with his caring presence and affection. Such “whispers” can transform and stretch our faith like nothing else can. The author explains:
“Whispers can be dangerous things. They can come with huge price tags. God’s whisper his Son, Jesus- to make a redemptive visit to planet Earth, was a costly one. . . . Therefore it should come as no surprise that a certain number of whispers that come our way will drive us to our knees and stretch our faith like nothing else can. So be it.”
Not so easy to accept when adversity has led us to a transitional, desert Land Between time. We may not readily perceive God’s gentle nudge or whisper. Wayne Cordeiro, who wrote the forward to this book, likens hearing God’s voice to tuning a guitar. Preparing for a concert, Wayne was having trouble tuning his guitar because he was in competition with a rock band doing a sound check- until, that is, he placed his ear on the wooden body of his instrument