The Story - Chapter 15 - 1 Kings 18-19

Life is challenging, but then if it were easy we would be bored.  It is the rise and fall of the road ahead that makes for an interesting journey.  It is when we find ourselves at the foot of the mountain that we look up.  It is when we are stuck in a deep hole, mired in a pit of junk that we pray life will improve.  Did you notice that it is when we are down low, we look up?

We spend lots of time wondering where God is. When tragedy strikes we ask the usual questions, "Why me?" or "God, where are you today?"  I wonder if God ever asks us, "Where were you when I wanted you to call to me?"  All too often we look for God in the major events of our lives and if we don't see Him or recognize His actions, we cry out in doubt and unbelief.

The truth is, God is everywhere and He is with us all the time.  He is present during all of our struggles.  He is walking in front of us through stormy weather; He is blazing the trail ahead of us if we only will look up long enough to see Him. The words in 1 Kings 19:12, "...And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

Elijah feared for His life and he was crying out for God to show up. Elijah was looking for Him in all the noise and clamor of the moment, But, God was not to be found there. God revealed His presence by a peaceful calming whisper. The soothing effect of someone speaking low is obvious, other sounds needed to be deadened, so we listen closer, perhaps shutting our own mouths to hear God's words.

1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV)
The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks 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 came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 

God speaks to our heart all the time, but do we hear?  Is there so much other noise going on that we cannot hear the words we need to hear for us to have peace, for us to wrap our arms around hope?  It is important to listen for that gentle whisper.  It is important to "Be still..." (Psalm 46:10)

Read 1 Kings 18-19 here

Listen to 1 Kings 18-19 here