As I was
writing this, it came to me I might have written about this subject before. My
memory isn’t very good and my computer files are a mess because I know nothing
about computers, so I can’t look it up. Nevertheless, I will post this anyway. Every
time I read the Bible or listen to a good sermon I see more and understand
more, so here it is:
I listened
to a sermon by Tim Keller on Elijah the prophet. What he said was meaningful to
me. He told us about the time Elijah was depressed and had run away from the
king and queen of Israel. Queen Jezebel had threatened to kill him, so he ran
and ran until exhausted, he came to a broom tree. He sat under it and asked God
to take his life.
The day
before this, Elijah had a contest with the pagan priests about who was the true
God. They both built alters on top of a small mount and prayed for their gods
to bring down fire. Only Elijah’s alter was set on fire from heaven. The people
shouted, “The Lord, he is God.” Elijah left the mount and ran into the city
with King Ahab. He was probably sure everything would now change for him,
because previously the king and queen had been hunting for him to kill him.
But when
Elijah heard the threat from Jezebel, he knew the demonstration of God’s power
had not affected anything. He felt his work was a failure and it was over, but
he was wrong. God had a lot more for him to do.
Twice, as
Elijah lay there, an Angel of the Lord came and cooked warm bread and provided
cool water for him. He said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for
you.” He did that and was given strength to walk in the wilderness for 40 days
until he came to Mr. Horeb, which was known as the “Mountain of God.” It was
the place God had met with Moses and the children of Israel.
“A Still
Small Voice,” that was how the Lord was speaking with Elijah now, and perhaps
that was how the Lord was speaking to the people of Israel now too. They had
seen God’s great power in a fire from heaven, but now he would speak with them
in their hearts. Pastor Keller said, “You can’t put God in a box.” He speaks to
people in different ways all the time. He gives them dreams, visions, or just a
small voice in our minds.
“And your ears shall hear a word behind
you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when
you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21
I have put
God in a box many times. I think he is going to do something one way when he
does it in a completely different way. Sometimes that way is very painful, yet
it gets the results I want. Not in a way I would ever choose; I wouldn’t allow
anyone to suffer in any way. But that’s me, I’m human and weak. God knows
beauty comes out of ashes. I accept that. I may not like it, but I accept it.
Pain is most likely the only thing that will bring us to God and eternal life.
Has God spoken through whirlwinds,
earthquakes and fire? Yes, he has, but at the right time he speaks to us
through a warm meal and a kind word.
This is what the Lord did with Elijah.
He told him what he wanted him to do next, that his work was not done yet. So,
Elijah obeyed and eventually God took him to heaven without ever passing
through death.
The Still Small Voice – Timothy
Keller [Sermon] - YouTube
