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A Gentle Whisper

by Janice S Ramkissoon
03/26/16
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On the 24th March, our morning's devotion was about Elijah feeling all alone after his stunning victory over the prophets of Baal. The reading was from 1 Kings 19:1-18 and the focal point was Deuteronomy 31:6. Vince was off work so we had an opportunity to explore the texts. In reading the main passage I thought about the angel coming to Elijah twice, encouraging him and helping him to climb out from the pit of despair.

First the angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat.'

What stood out for me was the fact that the angel didn't just tell him to get up. He told him what to do--eat--and also provided the food and drink he was to have.  When Elijah looked around there was bread and a jar of water was there by his head.

Elijah was at a very vulnerable place and needed a helping hand. Notice what he did after eating and drinking? 'He then lay down again.' That's all he could manage to do but it was all he needed to do at that moment. It was the first step back to a healthy state of mind in order to accomplish the task at hand.

If you're at that place today, you're not alone. Many are at that place waiting for an angel, with or without wings, to come alongside them and provide that much needed encouragement and practical help.

Tears are a language, God understands. Cry if you have to, it is part of the cleansing that will propel you into the healing process and eventually find you serving others who find themselves in a similar place of vulnerability.

Next, the angel came back a second time and touched him and said, 'Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.' Two things I picked here: 1) Elijah was ordered to get up and eat (repetition) and Elijah ate and drank as he did before. This time he was strengthened by the physical food as well as the encouragement that he was able to travel 40 days and 40 nights.

A flood of information is coming out of this passage for me which I would like to explore in another article at a later date. So far, the angel provided encouragement and practical help at a time of discouragement and vulnerability. Something that we all could benefit from as we travel through times of grief and great discouragement. If you are at that place right now, don't give up. Help is on the way, cry out to the One who can help and He'll send you help.

2) The other area I focused on was what happened when Elijah got to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Elijah spent the night in a cave. The word of the Lord came to him and he was able to confront his fear. Then the LORD said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.' It was the fact that God was not in the wind, earthquake or the fire but He was in a gentle whisper. This is how He has always spoken to me.

When I read that part of the Scripture, I was able to reflect on the many lengthy sermons I sat through in various conventions and seminars over the years wondering and sometimes asking where is God in all this? 

Sometimes, not being able to hear that still soft voice of wisdom is also due to the many distractions.  We are often distracted by the wind, earthquakes and fire and fail to hear and respond to that still soft voice of reason.

It can also be the case that when we are at a place of vulnerability, we look for God in places that seem to be on fire for Jesus when it is simply a distraction. 

As we reflect on the reason we celebrate this season, may we all experience the peace that comes from the Creator of all things.

Happy Easter!