I love music LOUD!! I like to hear little significant sound of all the instruments and singers and sometimes it takes turning up the volume to get clarity from all those sounds. Not so with the Lord. In 1 Kings 19 God's Word tells of Elijah running from Jezebel after she found out Elijah had ordered all the prophets of Baal killed. These were the prophets that she built her reign and life around and God showed up and showed they had no power at all and Jezebel was out for revenge. God was so powerful in showing up by reigning fire down and burning up all that was on the altar Elijah had built and now Elijah was running from Jezebel? I would have thought that Elijah would stand there in the power of God and stand firm. But he didn't!!
So Elijah ran and ran and found himself in the wilderness and his next prayer was "I have had enough Lord. Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died." Then he laid down under a broom tree and as he was sleeping an angel touched him and told him to get up and eat. Here is how it is recorded in verses 6-9 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
God was ministering to Elijah, even in his time of doubting and fear. Then God asked "that question." What are you doing here Elijah? Here is what Elijah said to the Lord in verse 10 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” I know this attitude because I have had the same attitude myself at times in my walk with God. So God instructs Elijah to go out and stand before Him on the mountain. Here is what happened after He did that in verses 11-13 11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
God turned up the volume and His power was evident to Elijah in the mighty windstorm, and in the earthquake, and in the fire. But His presence was felt and heard in a gentle whisper and Elijah felt the closeness that only God can give when we need it most. There is a Chris Tomlin song entitled Good Good Father that has a line that ministers to me and that line is Oh, I've heard a thousand stories of what they think You're like But I've heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night And You tell me that You're pleased and that I'm never alone. I have heard that tender whisper of God that speaks deep into my heart to calm me, encourage me, stir me, and complete me. Oh He is a good good Father!!! This Heavenly Father can turn up the volume to the point we can't stand it, but His most effective way of speaking clearly to me is through His Word and the calmness He brings to my heart. Oh I sense His presence in the midst of my questioning times and when I feel so vulnerable and depleted and it is like He is saying "David I've Got This!!" And guess what? God does!!
Maybe for you today you are at the end of your rope and you are coming before God in fear and totally depleted. Perhaps God is saying "What are you doing here?" What is going to be your reply? Go ahead and lay it out before God because He is listening and He is wanting to calm your fears and minister to your heart and the gentle voice of clarity will show you God is still working out things in your life. Our God is faithful, so listen to His voice and learn more about Him through His word. Keep in mind Loud is Just Loud, but clarity, real clarity comes in God volume........
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren