“Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God.” Anon.
I Kings 19: 4-12
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly anangel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on [c]coals, and a jar of water. So, he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So, he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
So, he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the firea still small voice.
The victory was won on Mt. Carmel! God had certainly showed up and showed His awesome power. Elijah, His faithful prophet had obeyed, waited for rain, and taken a mighty run in the strength of the Lord!
Victory was sweet! Then, Ahab got home. Jezebel and her tongue burst the balloon and brought everyone down to her size. At least to her despicable, lowly size.
For a few moments Elijah’s humanity got the best of him. He was out of there, and not sorry to be going. Thankfully His plea that God take His life was understood by God for what it was. With wisdom that only the Almighty has He gives Elijah, rest, and food – everything He needed for the next part of this journey.
God is love. His love and compassion meet us when “the journey is too great.” In the service of the King, we do not serve alone. Without Him we can do nothing. Yet, with Him all things are possible.
Taking time to rest is a big part of serving. Resting our souls in His hands, our minds in His Word, and sometimes taking time to lie down, and allowing our physical bodies to rejuvenate!
Quiet moments are imperative to enhance our spiritual hearing! Our world is filled with NOISE! Even “legitimate” noise – the kids, the news, the phone call . . . but, we STILL need QUIET! That “unplug” time . . . “pull away” moment that allows us to breathe in the breath of Heaven and hear the whisper of God.
By Janene Dubbeld
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