“‘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. 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. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.”
Elijah had given his whole life into the service of the Lord. He had stood for righteousness in a time of great darkness. Yet no matter his efforts, the tide of disbelief, wickedness, and unfaithfulness rose up like a wave within the people of Israel, crashing down upon him in fury.
On a mountain, after a mighty firestorm, on a gentle breath of wind, Elijah caught a faint whisper. It was God, speaking with a still small voice. Elijah understood; God wanted him to rest. He had been running, wrestling with issues far beyond his control; he had lost perspective, lost hope. In the midst of that senselessness, God wanted to give Elijah the peace that a gentle whisper of assurance brings.
Just like Elijah, we can become so caught up in the difficulties of our lives that we lose perspective and begin to burn out. In those moments, we may feel like nothing can possibly get better. We are tempted to ask why God won’t help us fix things, why he won’t put everything in order for us. It is exactly in those moments that God wants us to be still, not to try to find his will in the storms all around, but instead to rest in his peace. Sometimes in the midst of crisis we need to take a moment to pause and let the Lord minister to us. Sometimes the most godly thing to do is to fight the good fight; at other times the most godly thing to do is to sleep, to receive nourishment through food and drink, and to wait on the Lord instead of struggling to find answers on our own. Let the Lord who is the king over all storms put his peace in your heart today.
Reflect:
Read 1 Kings 19:3–13. When have you felt like you were at your wit’s end—exhausted, discouraged, and searching for God’s comfort? What got you through that experience?
Pray:
Elijah discovered God’s presence in quietness. Pray in silence for a bit, simply resting in God’s presence.
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
A Christian reconciliation group in Israel and Palestine warned that war would come. Now the war threatens their relevance.العربيةFrançais
When I married into a Jewish family, antisemitism hit home. Now, the holy day reminds me of our future hope.
