Friday, November 15, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
1 Kings 19:9–13

At that place he came to a cave and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces 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 sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (NRSV)

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Reflection

This is a powerful — but low — point in a powerful story. Elijah is facing up to King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, supporting Israel’s (and our) God against their god, Ba’al. In the scene, Elijah is fleeing because God’s people have been getting rid of God’s prophets, and Elijah could be next. Earlier in the story, he told God “It is enough” — he wanted to die.

You may recognize here John Greenleaf Whittier’s use of the story in the words of the hymn “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” — “Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm!” That's another translation of “the sound of a gentle stillness.” Whichever translation, it’s a voice we need.

When I first learned this story, I was playing in a student orchestra practicing the oratorio Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn. When one dramatic scene sounded bad, we must have given the conductor a moment of “What are you doing here?”

He told us to go home to the dorms and read 1 Kings 19. After at least some of us had read it, we played better because we knew what we were doing there — we knew what we were portraying, whose story it was.

I’m writing this before election day to be read afterward. I can’t write “when everything’s settled,” because I keep thinking that will take time.

Whatever has happened, now that we can come out of the cave, what are we doing here? Let’s keep in touch with God and each other and work together for good, calm results — whether we’re resisting or celebrating.

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Prayer
Dear Lord and Father of us all, be with us in the coming days and years. Help us remember to listen for your quiet, gentle voice. Amen.

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Written by Margaret Laing, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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