Be Still

We’ve been going through the Old Testament in the children’s ministry program at my church. Josh and I have been planning the main worship lesson for the 6 to 11 years olds about 3 times a month and the 10 – 11 year old small group every Sunday morning. It’s been really a lot of work, but we’ve really seen the kids grow over the past few months. Teaching has been very rewarding as it has been challenging. This week we’re on our third lesson on the life and ministry of the prophet Elijah. Last week we talked about when he challenged the prophets of Baal and the fire came down from heaven resulting in Israel repenting and the drought coming to an end. However, as a result all the prophets of Baal were put to death which didn’t please Jezebel too much, so she’s out to kill Elijah. At this point Elijah feels all alone in the world and everyone is out to get him. He is running for his life, God has sent an angel to provide food for him and after being on the run for 40 days, he is in a cave hiding.

I Kings 19

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?”

This is what I find amazing in these verses that scripture points out to us all these natural disasters (a wind storm, earthquake, and fire) and states after each “but the LORD was not in” it. I often think that if God’s going to tell me something then he’s going to TELL me something. It’s going to big and loud! But, no! That’s not what happened here with Elijah when God spoke to him it was with a “gentle whisper”. I had to ask myself today how often do I listen to the voice of God? God brought to my heart this morning.

Psalm 46:10
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

This evening I was looking at my calendar for the week. It’s a busy week with doctor’s appointments, play dates, work, date night, a scrapbooking party, and more. One thing God spoke to me about it when did I schedule in my time with him? When will I allow the gentle whisper of the voice of God to ring in my ears? I want to challenge myself this week in the mist of my busyness to stop, be still, and listen so I will know God. I challenge you as well to take even just 5 minutes every day this week to turn off your phone, computer, TV, ipod, whatever it is and be still in the LORD and listen for that gentle whisper of God! I truly believe that the LORD will be exalted if we do!