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1 Kings 19: 9-16
At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.
But the word of the LORD came to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”
He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD,
the God of hosts.
But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant,
torn down your altars,
and put your prophets to the sword.
I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.”
The LORD said to him,
“Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.
When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram.
Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,
and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah,
as prophet to succeed you.”
The Word of the Lord.
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The Old Testament can seem strange and out of touch. Reading books like Leviticus might leave you feeling lost in a world of laws that have little to do with our lives today.
Then there’s the occasional story that’s arrestingly human. Such is the case of Elijah in our first reading.
Elijah was a prophet sent by God to lead Israel to repentance. However, his words weren’t met with open arms; in fact, many tried to kill him. So, Elijah flees his home and takes refuge in a cave, where he literally prays for death.
Suddenly, the Lord appears to him – not in a blazing wind, a damaging earthquake, or a scorching fire – but in a gentle whisper.
Why did the Lord come to him in a whisper?
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Elijah was in a dark place – literally and figuratively.
He didn’t need the Lord to rend the heavens, revealing himself in a massive show of strength; in his fragile state, Elijah needed to be comforted. He needed the gentle voice of his Father.
And when God speaks to him, he speaks in the form of a question: “Why are you here?”
God doesn’t need an answer; he already knows. But he asks Elijah in order to start a dialogue, the first step in prayer.
So, Elijah shares his heart. We don’t know how long this lasts for. But only after Elijah has spoken does the Lord provide an answer.
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What might Elijah’s story say to us today?
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We all want to believe the Lord is real – and in touch. But our Creator will not rend the heavens or come to us in a blazing glow of glory to prove his existence or tenderheartedness. He comes to us in gentle, personal ways.
If we want to “see” him, then we must retreat like Elijah into our “cave,” that small, intimate place without distraction where we can share our heart and wait for the Lord’s whisper.
That’s where the conversation begins. Comfort is found. And, eventually, decisions are made.
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Image credits: (1) Effective Software Design (2) Shutterstock (3) Dr. Jana Renzel