Wind, Fire, Earthquake, and a Whisper?

      I think we can all identify with times where we have wanted to hear the Lord or know His will and plans for us, but just felt a disconnect. God is consistent, always there, always speaking what we need to hear, but it is a matter of whether or not our hearts are in a place to hear it. 

      I love the account in 1 Kings 18 and 19 about Elijah standing up for God and refusing to bow to another idol, and as a result finds himself fleeing from Horeb for his life. God guided and provided for him every step of the way and brought Elijah to a place where a gentle whisper from God gave him the direction and provision he sought. 

      After reading this passage these are the questions that came to mind and how it challenged me: Am I making time each day to hear the gentle whisper, or is my life so noisy and distracted with things throughout the day that I miss the whisper that is saying everything I need to hear? How can I make sure that I start my day with time to connect and recalibrate before the chaos of the day begins? 

      Elijah came to the place God showed him that he knew he would be able to seek the Lord. And in that time came a violent wind, firestorm, and an earthquake, but God did not choose to reveal himself in any of those powerful things, He was in the quiet whisper that followed. And in that whisper God gave Elijah the direction he needed in his moment of despair, to escape those who were after his life and carry out the will of God. 

     Let’s make sure to check in, and start in the Word and prayer every morning so that our hearts are in the right place to hear the whisper through the earthquakes, wind, and fire so that we can Live a Legacy for Christ that blesses the generations.

 1 Kings 19:9-18 

 The Lord Appears to Elijah 

 And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the 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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”