Sometimes seeing doesn’t always solidify believing because hard circumstances have a tendency to speak WAY louder than God’s still small voice…& that can be hard.
That’s where I find the prophet Elijah this morning. He’s so distraught by Jezebel’s death threats that he sits under a tree & prays that he might die.😳
He doesn’t just want to be done with life, he PRAYS for it to happen! Jezebel’s threats fill his ears like white noise drowning out the voice of God.
God hears his desperate plea to die, but when He sends an angel, He doesn’t address Elijah’s prayer. He simply provides & tells him what’s next.
When Elijah arrives at the mountain of God, God asks him why he’s there. Elijah complains that even though he’s zealously served God, the Israelites have turned away & are now trying to kill him!
God seems to ignore the prophet’s complaint & tells Elijah to go stand before Him on the mountain.
As he does, the Lord passes by & then Elijah witnesses:
- a mighty windstorm that tore the rocks loose, but the Lord was not there
- then a terrible earthquake, but the Lord was not there
- & lastly, a fire, but again the Lord was not in the fire.
Ater the fire, however, something truly awesome happens. The Lord allows the wind, earthquake & fire, but He’s not IN them.
It was only in the still space AFTER the tumultuous events that Elijah hears the gentle whisper of the Lord.
The wreckage of the windstorm, earthquake & fire litter the scene before Elijah, but it’s in the middle of the mess that he hears the whisper of the Lord.
I heard a song today & it felt like a whisper from the Lord for hopeless moments like this. May the lyrics act like white noise, drowning out circumstances so you can tune your ears to the faithfulness of our Father:
I see you trying
Though you can't see me
And I know your thoughts
Before you even think
I heard every last prayer you prayed
Though I answered all the time
You just didn't hear my reply
And I know it's not easy, oh
Don't you give up on me
'Cause when the night's at its darkest
That's when the light hits the hardest
Don't you give up on me
You ain't seen what I promised
Child, we're just getting started…
~Your Father Who Sees You
June 18th One Year Bible Readings 1 KINGS 19:1-21 ACTS 12:1-23 PSALM 136:1-26 PROVERBS 17:14-15
P.S. The song is, “Don’t You Give up on Me” by Brandon Lake
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