Day 20: Listening for the Gentle Whisper

Read: 1 Kings 19

 1 Kings 19 | NIV Bible | YouVersion


Elijah had come to the end of his strength.  After an epic spiritual victory on Mount Carmel, during which he called down fire from heaven and put the priests and prophets of the false god Baal to shame, Queen Jezebel vowed to kill Elijah.  And so he fled into the desert.

Discouragement often sets in after a spiritual mountaintop experience like Elijah had, and it would be good for us to remember that.  But God is a very practical God.  He focused on meeting Elijah where he was, offering him both nourishment and rest.  God wasn’t done with Elijah yet.  He had more for him to do.

Elijah hid in a cave and allowed himself to wallow in self-pity.  He allowed his situation to overwhelm him.  He forgot that God had just rained fire down from heaven.  He forgot that God had soundly defeated the false god Baal.  He forgot that there were others who worshipped and served the One True God, and believed instead the lie that he was all alone.

And so God had compassion on his weary servant and met with him at the cave on the mountain in the desert. He didn’t appear to Elijah in a fire or whirlwind or earthquake.  Instead, God came to Elijah with a whisper.  We should not look for God to reveal Himself only in the big, powerful, and miraculous.  We must be careful not to miss Him because He is often found whispering gently in the quietness of a humble heart.

Sometimes God wants to take us away to the stillness of a desolate desert place in our lives, in order for us to slow down enough to hear His gently whispers.  Are you allowing places of quiet in your life where you can be still and listen for the voice of the Lord?

 

Listen: While I'm Waiting John Waller LYRICS FIREPROOF SOUNDTRACK - YouTube

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