so would I.
a vow of evil
coming from evil
warning Elijah
he would be
dead
by
tomorrow.
his bravery,
his courage,
his determination,
gone.
his faith
all but gone as well.
he had experienced
the exhilaration of
battles won and
prayers answered.
in that vulnerable space,
evil attacked.
and as most of us would,
he ran.
alone,
he sat down under a lone
broom tree.
in the depth of discouragement,
in the dark night of the soul,
he asked God to take
his
life.
he then fell asleep.
perhaps he had hoped
to wake up in heaven.
instead an angel touched
him and told him to eat.
and he did.
he then lay
down and slept.
the intense weariness
experienced in the darkness
consumes both body and spirit.
as the angel once again
roused Elijah from his sleep,
he was told again to eat.
the angel also told him,
"...or the journey ahead will be
too much for you." 1 Kings 19:7
so Elijah ate
and headed to
the mountain of God.
Mount Sinai.
a journey lasting
40 days and 40 nights.
in a cave he found rest.
so close he was,
so intimately connected
to his God,
that when
God spoke,
Elijah seemed
perfectly comfortable
in answering!
one cannot help
but think he had
indeed heard that
voice before.
Elijah's answer was honest.
the depth of his despair was
evident as he spoke with God.
God's reply shows the depth
of His compassionate love.
as Elijah stands on the
mountain as instructed,
God reassured a deeply
discouraged and
wounded warrior
that His presence was real,
but not always found in places
expected.
not in the windstorm.
not in the earthquake.
not in the fire.
but rather in a whisper.
"And after the fire there was the
sound of a gentle whisper." I Kings 19:12
Elijah knew.
face wrapped in his cloak,
he went out to meet the One whose
whisper brought the universe into
existence and gave each star
its own place to shine.
and God's whisper reached down
into the depths of that discouraged soul.
and perhaps most amazing?
He still whispers today.
to me. to you. to any heart
still enough,
soft enough,
to hear that whisper.
perhaps you are in that
dark night of the soul today.
or have been there in the past.
I have been in that space.
more than once.
and you feel desperately alone.
take courage.
the night never lasts forever.
His whisper reassures you are not
alone. ever.
His tender touch reminds
you can have hope,
for He is hope defined.
Psalm 126
When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
"What amazing things the LORD has done
for them."
Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
Restore our fortunes, LORD,
as streams renew the desert.
Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
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