One of my great joys on Monday mornings is joining together with a group of women for Bible study. Today while we were reading along and discussing I caught something out of the corner of my eye. If you know me very well, you probably already know that one of my great fears is birds. I like them when they are up in their trees where they belong, but I don't like them when they are too close to me, especially if they are flying. I am a tall woman, things flying near my head creep me out. So, my initial reaction was to scream and crawl under the table as fast as I could. This was smart for me, but it left everyone else up there wondering what was happening. My initial reaction was to flee, get out of there as fast as I could! It wasn't rational, it was driven by my fear of flying things. How absurd, right?!? It sure seemed to make sense at the time.
Reflecting on this today made me think of Elijah, who also had the reaction to flee. He was tired of being persecuted, he was afraid, and he ran. The story takes place in 1Kings:
19 1-2 Ahab reported to Jezebel everything that Elijah had done, including the massacre of the prophets. Jezebel immediately sent a messenger to Elijah with her threat: “The gods will get you for this and I’ll get even with you! By this time tomorrow you’ll be as dead as any one of those prophets.”
3-5 When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day’s journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: “Enough of this, God! Take my life—I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave!” Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush.
Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, “Get up and eat!”
6 He looked around and, to his surprise, right by his head were a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. He ate the meal and went back to sleep.
7 The angel of God came back, shook him awake again, and said, “Get up and eat some more—you’ve got a long journey ahead of you.”
8-9 He got up, ate and drank his fill, and set out. Nourished by that meal, he walked forty days and nights, all the way to the mountain of God, to Horeb. When he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep.
Then the word of God came to him: “So Elijah, what are you doing here?”
10 “I’ve been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,” said Elijah. “The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I’m the only one left, and now they’re trying to kill me.”
Elijah has explained to the angel that he's tired. He's been pouring out his energy for God and he is still afraid that he will not overcome the evil that chases him.
What I love about this story is that God doesn't just leave Elijah in that cave. God doesn't leave Elijah afraid and alone. The story continues:
11-12 Then he was told, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.”
A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.
13-14 When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, “So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?”
God meets Elijah in the stillness, in a gentle and quiet whisper. God calls Elijah out of the fear and into a renewed purpose. Elijah continues to serve God with great devotion despite this occurrence.
It is amazing how quickly fear can grip us, isn't it? It can deter us from moving ahead with God's will for our lives. It can thwart progress and leave us stuck in a quagmire of complacency, afraid to take any action. The good news is that God doesn't leave us there! God calls us out, challenges us to listen and boldly take the next step in faith.
What are the fears that cling to you? How do they prevent you from living fully into your God-potential? What are you doing to listen for that still, small voice? What's the next step God is calling you to take?
Prayer: God, you are in the brilliance of fire and in the gentle whisper. You are in the cry of the newborn and the last breath of the one starting their life-eternal. Be present with me, speak to me that I may listen and understand your message. Give me the courage to boldly answer "Here I am, Lord!" that I may come to a greater understanding of the wonder you have created me to be. Amen.
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