Vol.6, No. 06– February 7, 2021
In a Still Small Voice
1 Kings 19:8-18
He came to a cave and lodged on it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah. –1 Kings 19:8-9
Even in the dark hours of life, we must always remember that God has not abdicated His throne.
When Frederick Douglas (1817-1895), was speaking at an anti-slavery rally in Salem, Ohio, in the bitterness of his soul, he seemed to sound a note of pessimism and despair for the future of the black race. At his expression there was a loud voice crying out from the gallery: Federick, Frederick, is God dead?
The great possibilities of God are the possibilities upon which faith rests. The ex-champion of Carmel is found in 1 Kings, now a cave man of Sinai. The 40-day hike has left him exhausted, not able to participate. Elijah comes to the mouth of the cave to hear the Lord say: What on earth are you doing here! We need to talk!
God begins to talk, as only God can talk. The first “conversation” was like a Gulf Coast storm. Like a violent tornado. Elijah sees the effects of the storm of words but does not see God Himself. God was not in the wind.
Then the Lord expresses Himself like an earthquake. Like an abrupt disturbance within the Earth that is volcanic in origin, and results in the generation of seismic waves. We have experienced many earthquakes in our world, but this was different. And Elijah felt the rumble of God’s voice but did not see Him in the earthquake.
Maybe a third time would be the charm? The heavens became a blaze of light, each pinnacle and peak glowed in kindling flame. The valley beneath Elijah’s cave appeared to be a smelting furnace.
In October 1871, four square miles of Chicago (including the business district) were destroyed by fire. Hundreds of lives lost and over 90,000 left homeless. Hundreds of millions of dollars of property destroyed. Elijah looks out, fearful, but God was not in the fire he sees.
So, where was God? He is there. He caused these events before Elijah’s eyes. God used natural phenomenon to get Elijah’s attention.
Life Application
Are we looking for God in the supernatural, the phenomenal, in signs and wonders? God can also be heard in the gentle whisper. The burning prophet needs the still small voice of our great God.
What do you need, besides the sound of the voice you desire. We are so often focused on the phenomenal, we, like Elijah, miss His still small voice. It takes an intent of the heart to hear God when we mumble about life. Mumbling often drowns out God’s still small voice.
If not in the wind, yet in the zephyr. If not in the earthquake, yet in the hearthreak. If not in the fire, yet in the warmth of summer. If not in thunder, yet in the still, small voice. If not in crowds, yet in lonely hearts; in silent tears; in the broken sobs of penitents, His Spirit descends as the dove or the falling of the morning dew. –F.B. Myer
NOTE: I have settled in my heart that the theme of this year, 2021, is Encouragement for the Originals. God has created each of us an original. It will be an encouragement to see what the Scriptures has for us this year–following a dramatic 2020, and reaching forward to our lives in 2021. Life will be normal in the sense that there will be difficulties, chaos, crisis, and heartache of experiences. Yet, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We can trust Him as we seek Him. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. –Jeremiah 29:11-13
