Hearing God - Elijah

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:13

Busy restaurants are not good places for meaningful discussions. With the patrons talking, music playing, and waiters taking orders, it’s sometimes nearly impossible even to hear your companion’s voice.

Hearing God is sometimes like that too. With all the noise life makes, it can be difficult to hear him. Like Elijah the prophet, however, you can learn to hear God’s voice above all else.

Although Elijah had given his all, no good seemed to be coming of it. Although he had preached and performed miracles, the people refused to listen to him. Now King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, wanted to kill him. He sat in a cave in fear and despair, wondering where God was in all of his suffering.

Elijah desperately needed to hear from the Lord.

God wanted to speak to Elijah. After telling the prophet to come out of his cave and stand before him on the mountain, God passed by. A windstorm arose, so powerful that it tore rocks loose. After the wind came an earthquake, and after the earthquake there was a fire.

At first, it looked as though God had spoken to Elijah in a spectacular way; but that’s not what had happened, and Elijah knew it. God was not in any of those noisy demonstrations; they were just forerunners of the real deal that was to follow.

Finally, Elijah heard it. Still sitting in the cave, wallowing in his misery, he heard a gentle whisper. He knew it was time to come out and listen to God’s voice.

This was the voice of the One Elijah loved and served, the One on whom he depended. Elijah heard God’s inviting voice, poured out his broken heart, and then just listened.

Can you hear God’s voice above life’s everyday noise? God wants you to discern his voice, so when you need to hear him, take some time to be alone away from the noise of life . . . and just listen.