(I Kings 19:9-18)
Have you ever? Called out, “Where are you, God?”
Felt like quitting?
Felt like running away?
Hosted a pity party?
We have all been there! Overwhelmed, burned out, and exhausted.
Elijah said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.” I Kings 19:10
What would you do if someone sent their entire army after you – hunting you down?
In I Kings 19, we find the prophet of God in great despair – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He knew Queen Jezebel would follow through with her threat to kill him so he was running as far away as he could.
But God was still there! God had not abandoned him. God knew exactly where Elijah was and exactly what he needed at that moment.
And God does not abandon us as He knows exactly how to get our attention. We so often allow our problems to become so large that we forget just how BIG our God is. But like Elijah, we need the reassurance of His presence.
God does not change; He is still the same God that showed up on Mt. Carmel with great drama (I Kings 18), and He is no less powerful in quietness on Mt. Horeb some 300 miles away ( I Kings 19).
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.” At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.” I Kings 19:11-12
Our world is so noisy, just a state of constant noise, and constant noise easily distracts.
How can we recognize when God is speaking? Sometimes the best thing we can do is get quiet enough to hear His voice!
Sometimes God is quietly present with us in our discouragement, our struggles whispering “Hold on my child, rest in my presence!”
Take time to breathe in and breathe out; rest in the peace of His presence, dear child.