Read 1 Kings 19:11–13
God often delivers His best gifts to us in unexpected ways...with surprises inside the wrappings. Through apparent contradictions. Somewhat like the therapy He used when Elijah was so low and so terribly disillusioned.
How did He minister to the prophet? By an earthquake? In a whirlwind? Through a scorching fire? You’d expect all the above since Elijah was such a passionate, hard-charging prophet. But no to all the above. The story from 1 Kings 19 makes it clear that Jehovah was not in the earthquake or the wind or the fire. Too obvious. Too predictable. Big-time hype is rarely the Sovereign’s style.
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.... And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:11–13)
About the time we think we’ve got life figured out, God speaks to us in “a gentle whisper,” and quietly asks, “What are you doing?”
What do you need to do today to open your ears to the voice of God? When was the last time you sat in silence before Him and simply waited for Him to speak? What are you doing? Could God be using the restless turmoil of your circumstances to whisper His counsel to you?
Stop! Sit down! Turn everything off! Now, be still. Don’t talk. Just listen. Let God speak. Don’t get up until you’ve heard His voice. It shouldn’t take an earthquake to get your attention. For too long you’ve been “hard of listening.” God not only has a lot to say...you’ve got a lot to learn.
Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.
The full devotional can be purchased at https://www.tyndale.com/p/good-morning-lord-can-we-talk/9781414380681.
