1 Kings 19:11-13

"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?"

Maybe it is because God is so great that we expect nothing but great things from Him. This is not to say good, for all that He does is good. But an all-powerful being should only do that which is all-powerful, right? If a thing happens that is not, on the surface, breathtaking, then it must be that God did not do it, right?

In this portion, Elijah is on the mount in the wilderness. He had run to the wilderness because the king of Israel, Ahab, was after him. The context of this passage shows that Elijah was mighty discouraged. In this place in the wilderness he has a face to face encounter with God. God speaks, and Elijah answers. It is clearly God's intention to encourage His saint. This is obvious because after this encounter Elijah is given some things to do by the LORD. He is ready again to serve. So what does God do to encourage Elijah?

The events are recorded in this passage. A mighty wind comes that breaks the mountains (something more than a hurricane, I would guess), and an earthquake, and a fire. And in each of these events it is recorded that "God was not in (it)." Then comes a still small voice. Based on the Hebrew, this could also be called a calm, thin sound. And this is the thing that brings Elijah face to face with God. This is what speaks to Elijah's heart, and brings him to a renewed desire to serve God. The great, mighty works didn't do it. Ironically, in 1 Kings 18, Elijah has the famous "showdown on the mount" with the prophets of Baal. There, he saw God rain fire from heaven that consumed his sacrifice, the altar, the dust on the mountain, and all of the water that Elijah had poured onto the sacrifice. It would seem that even this great event didn't touch Elijah's heart like the calm, thin sound.

In our discouragement and trouble, what encourages us? Do we only look for the earth-rending wind? Or does God send a song on the radio, or a balloon from the sky, or a beautiful sunset, or a letter from a friend? Are we inclined to accept only the great things as being from God's hand, and not the small? Elijah was ready to serve after the calm, thin sound. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was given the ministry of an angel. But He still went to the cross. Do we dare to limit God to only the great things? May we learn to accept the small as well as the great from our great God.

HJK