I Kings 19:1-7
Elijah had just come from a great victory, when Jezebel threatened him. Now after killing 450 prophets of Baal, he ran away. This is a good example that when we have a mountaintop experience, there are times immediately after we have on that we crash and burn. I want to point out that Elijah just finished doing the will of God, he hadn’t fallen away or backslid. We should look at this example as a testimony that there will be times when we are depressed. Just like Elijah, he felt all alone and ask God to take his life, he was depressed. When the Lord comes to us, He doesn’t give us glorious visions, He simply tells us to do something ordinary. Like, read His word, or pray. So how did God deal with Elijah, after complaining and his self-righteous bragging that he was the only prophet left in Israel who remained true to the Lord. Even the children of Israel he commented had abandoned God’s commandments. God told him to “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” One after another, the mountains were visited by a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire. Makes you wonder if these storms reminded Elijah of his self-righteous, rebellious spirit. None of these storms brought him out of the cave, he must have been afraid once again. Was he thinking that God was going to get him for being a coward. No, it was a “still small voice,” a calm gentle assurance, a delicate whispering voice that caused Elijah to move the entrance of the cave (Hebrews 3:6-7). And “Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God responded in gentleness. God asks us at times, what are we doing here? When God asks us, He might be referring to our physical location, or to our spiritual location. What are you doing here? God told Elijah to go back the same way he came. In loving patience, God renewed Elijah’s commission, just as Jesus did with Peter (John 21:15-19). God directed Elijah just as He does to us to retrace our steps back to where we strayed from God’s mission. And from there, he and we could move forward. God doesn’t always reveal Himself in powerful miraculous ways, like the plagues of Egypt, or the dividing of the Red sea. We shouldn’t look for God in big rallies, churches, conferences, or highly visible leaders. Because we might just miss Him when He is speaking to us in that “still small voice.” Maybe through a humbled heart. Are we listening for the gentleness of God in our despair? We need to step back from the noise and busyness of our lives and listen humbly and quietly for His guidance. It might come when we least expect it. God bless you this week – Pastor Dean
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