And I wonder..does it take a raging wild fire to get someone's attention?
Does He need to use severe drought conditions to speak to us?
In the book of 1 Kings chapter 19, we find Elijah the prophet, in a cave, apparently pouting about the fact that he was the "only fruitful one left of the children of Israel" (v. 10 and 14).
Verses 11-12 tell us that the Lord sent some natural catastrophes Elijah's way to get his attention:
1. a great and strong wind
2. an earthquake
3. a fire
But look closely at the end of each phrase; the Lord was not "in" any of those things, was He? And none of those things brought Elijah out of the cave.
The end of verse 12 tells us that after all those things, what?? ".. a still small voice."
In verse 13, we are told that Elijah heard that still small voice, and "he went out, and stood at the entrance to the cave." So it was the gracious voice of the Lord that brought him out.
George Williams comments, "Had Elijah's heart not been occupied with self, he would have learned that tempests, earthquakes, and fires cannot accomplish what the gentle voice of love can."
It shouldn't take a natural disaster to get our attention. We should always be sensitive the still, small voice of the Lord...walking in close fellowship with Him.
"The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty." - Psalm 29:4
Hope you have a lovely day friends,
linking up with Our Simple Country Life
Oh so true ~ Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Anne♥
Thanks for stopping by, Anne. Hope you're having a lovely day. :)
DeleteI've been thinking similar thoughts, Lisa. Well said, my friend. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you stopped by, Lisa.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely week-end. :)
I hear the same things too. I hesitate to say such things because then perhaps I could as well find myself in the midst of such tragedy because I'm just as sinful as the next. However, I do know that I can't keep these natural disasters away from me just because I won't take part in saying such thing ... for living in Florida we've experienced some dreadful hurricanes and tornadoes.
ReplyDeleteBut, I do agree with you. None of can presume such a thing.
As I was reading a little in the book of Job the other day -prompted by a novel I just finished 'Love Amid the Ashes' by Mesu Andrews.
I pondered something of the same sort you write about here -
Though war and many natrual disasters came crashing down all around Job -and then soon a terrible disease of boils and sores to his flesh, God wasn't the cause of such things to 'get his attention' -for Job was a man who already gave his attention to the Lord.
~~~
Anyhow, we as His children must take time to listen to Him and His still small voice.
Praising the Lord :)
Blessings, Deanna
Hello Deanna,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you stopped by and shared your thoughts. I love the book of Job; he was definitely a man devoted to the Lord, and still every type of catastrophe came his way.
In the midst of it all, he still blessed the Lord.
Hope you have a wonderful week-end, friend. :)
Blessings,
Lisa
Thank you for this moving reminder to that history. God's voice is always with me. His word is on my bedside table ... When I read the psalms, I hear His voice, as the wind through the tops of the trees. Lets read more often in our bible ...
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Jedidja. We all need more tome in the Word.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to stop in and share your thoughts. :)
Blessings,
Lisa
Amen. And the birth pangs of the end times are coming stronger and more frequent all the time, and yet the world doesn't seem to get it. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteThey don't get it do they, Jane? And I hear so many people say, "Life is good!" I want to say to them, "You think this is good?? With all the heartache and strife in the world, life is good??" I realize that their perspective is that this life is all there is.. if they don't know the Lord. How sad that they think this world is as good as it gets.
DeleteThanks for stopping by, dear friend. I always enjoy your visits. :)
Wishing you a blessed week,
Lisa