ON THE VANGUARD

THE VOICE part 2
“After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
I Kings 19:12

Yesterday I shared with you concerning the voice of the blind man who, when hushed, only cried out louder. The point I wanted us to see was that his being blind was only part of the story, and I venture to say the part we get stuck on. But the deeper truth is that Bartimaeus made himself known. He yelled, hollered, and screamed in order for Jesus to hear him. Yet I want to contrast this story with another one having to do with a voice. You see, there is nothing wrong with us being loud in order to get His attention, but are we being quiet enough to listen as well? While God sometimes speaks in the booms, He also speaks in the still small voice.
This is probably a story we all know, and honestly is one I find myself camping out at often. Through a series of events in his dealings with King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel, Elijah finds himself fleeing to Mount Horeb. After attended by an angel, he traveled for forty days and nights before reaching his destination. When he got there, God questioned, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” It was at this point that Elijah pleaded his case. To put it frankly, Elijah was a wanted man. The ruling parties of Israel were looking to do to him as they did to the other prophets – kill him. Elijah was running for his life. Now maybe he was freaking out, maybe he had a meltdown, maybe the stress of being a prophet was getting to him, but despite the reason, he was running. God heard his reason and then told him to stand on the mountain and wait for His presence.
A series of events took place once Elijah got to the top of the mountain. First, a great and powerful wind swept over the mountain. Now let us not breeze (pun intended) over this piece. The Bible records in I Kings 19:11 that this wind was so strong that it tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks. I don’t know about you, but that to me sounds like some pretty strong wind. And yet, God was not in wind. Following the wind came an earthquake. As one who grew up in southern California, I have been through my share of earthquakes. Of all the natural disasters that could come, it is the earthquake I fear the most. Why? Because it is the one disaster you never know is coming. And still we read that God was not in the earthquake. The next to follow was a fire. This fire could have been a result from the earthquake I guess, but I choose to believe it was more of a supernatural fire that started in Elijah’s sight. Yet still we read that God was not in the fire.
After the blowing, after the shaking, and after the burning, then came the non-expected. Following all the great powerhouse, eye-catching, moments came the still small voice. Defined in Hebrew, it was the calm yet fine whispered sound of God. This small voice, though, had such an impact. Elijah then covered his face with his cloak, his prophet’s garment, as he stood at the mouth of the cave he had once rested in. It is in this place I want to find myself. I do not want to get so confused with the voices that speak in the wind, the earthquake, and the fire when God’s voice is not in them. Instead I want to bypass these and find God speaking in the quiet whisper. But perhaps I am the wind, for I blow enough hot air. Perhaps I am the earthquake, for I shake my hands in frustration when His answer doesn’t come. And perhaps I am the fire, for in my frustration I also find anger. It is only when these disasters subside, and I calm myself in His presence, that I can truly hear His voice. He is not silent, but am I listening?