Devotion for September 21, 2008

A Still Small Voice

“And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice [came] to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"” (1 Kings 19:9-13 NKJV)

 

“What are you doing here Elijah?” Well he was running scared fearing the wrath of Jezebel. Oh how the Lord’s question must have penetrated his heart. “What are you doing hear Elijah?” It reminds us of Peter being asked three times, “Peter do you love Me?”

Do you have times when, no matter how hard you try, your strength is gone? Like Elijah the Lord has placed you in the battle and you have fought well. Then after the skirmish the enemy rises from defeat with new threats and vigor. After which you begin to ask yourself, “What’s the use? Nothing I do makes any difference at all.”

It’s important during those times to focus on the Lord’s will and not your own. It’s important to trust in the Lord’s ways and not your ways. God is accomplishing exactly what He wants to accomplish. Elijah said in so many words when asked, I have been doing what you asked me to do and now it has put me in this big mess all alone. Can you relate?

Well he wasn’t alone for later in verse eighteen He tells Elijah that He has 7000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal. You should know that while you may not see, God is saving His elect, and sanctifying His children by conforming them to the image of God. God is accomplishing what He needs to accomplish through your holy efforts.

For Elijah’s sake and yours He reminds His prophet whom it is he serves. With a terrible wind so fierce that the mountain tore apart, then with earthquake and fire God demonstrates His awesome power. I am God Elijah, declares the Lord with a mighty hand. Then once the prophet is seized by this marvelous display of sovereignty, God speaks to him gently with a still small voice.

Oh how wonderful is our loving Lord! “Where are you Elijah?” He was not where he was supposed to be, but God did not rebuke him out of the wind, but gentle whispers to him.

My dear friends no matter what you have endured or must endure for the Lord, you may have confidence that He is both able and willing to use you if you are available through holiness and humility. He can even use you if your not, but that would not be profitable for you. Therefore, if you have beat down by the trials of life, if your ministry seems not to be accomplishing what you hoped it would, then pull over and listen for that still small voice. Don’t run away and hide forcing God to ask you, “Where are You?” Instead, cry out to the Lord right where you are. See if He will not speak to you with that gentle, loving voice with which He comforted Elijah?