Elijah, strengthened by food, drink and rest, traveled 40 days and nights to reach Horeb. The significance of that location must not go unnoticed. Horeb is the general name for the whole mountain range of which Sinai was one of the summits. (Easton's Bible Dictionary). It is the geographic location where God called Moses through the burning bush (Exodus 3:1). This is where God made covenant with the descendants of Jacob - providing for them the laws, both moral and civil, that were to give them a national identity. This journey to Horeb has the feel of a "back to your roots" kind of journey. It is as if Elijah must strip everything away to remember where he came from, what his purpose was - to examine the hows and whys of his very life.
And God is present. In response to God's question, Elijah began to pour out his frustrations. He adamantly tells God that he, Elijah, deserves much better than he is getting! Ever feel that way? You've done things right - you've been faithful - and WHAM - life does not play fair. I bet you have been there ... Elijah is just more honest than we tend to be!
God's response to Elijah's accusations is quite interesting. He does not answer point by point. In fact, it may appear that God does not answer the complaints at all. He assures of His Presence. And that is enough. I am reminded when Paul learned that the grace of God was sufficient, it is enough. (2 Corinthians 12:9). The response to Elijah from God comes in 4 waves.
1. The wind. Wind can be a violent, destructive force. Just ask those of us who live on the Gulf coast and weather hurricanes. Talk to someone in Oklahoma who lives with the reality of tornadoes in the spring. Wind can take everything you have ... and blow it away. Wind can be so incredibly loud that you cannot hear above the roar. Elijah can hear nothing right now except the terrifying voice of Jezebel. God is not "doing that" to him - nor does He to you.
2. The earthquake. Earthquakes rock your world like nothing else. The ground is the one stable thing in our lives, right? Wrong. Earthquakes rip the very foundation upon which we stand wide open. Ask someone from San Francisco. More devastating, ask someone from Haiti. Elijah's world has been ripped open by Jezebel and he sees no reason to live. God is not "doing that" to him - nor does He to you. The foundations of our lives get rocked ... by all sorts of things.
3. The fire. Fire can be an all-consuming thing. It takes everything in its path. And the destruction is complete. Talk to someone who has lost their home to fire. Talk to the fire fighters who try to stay ahead of the devastating forest fires that rape acre after acre, mile after mile of beautiful, life-giving and life-sustaining forest. Jezebel's threats, Jezebel's hard heart, Jezebel's unrelenting opposition to Jehovah is consuming our prophet. God is not "doing that" to Elijah - nor does He to you. But things can consume us. Sickness, finances, rebellious children, death (what will your list include?)
4. It is in the fourth wave of illustration where God reveals His presence to Elijah. The NIV calls it "a gentle whisper". I love the NRSV translation - "the sound of sheer silence." And we return to the lesson that is so incredibly difficult for us to internalize. The need for quiet and stillness before the LORD. Are you practicing this? Where will you carve out some minutes today to be silent and still before the God of Elijah? It is OK to start small. Can you do 5 minutes today? Perhaps 3? When tomorrow? We must start somewhere. Don't say you don't have time. We make time for the things we consider important. No one is asking you (certainly not God!) to neglect your children, or your spouse, or your work ... just claim 5 minutes to sit before the Lord, your God ... quietly.
To soothe a wounded spirit ... spend time in the sheer silence.
To rest from battling life ... spend time in the sheer silence.
To rejuvenate a tired soul ... spend time in the sheer silence.
To find renewed courage ... spend time in the sheer silence.
Spend time in stillness with your God.
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