Thoughts for the Day

Elijah 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?’ 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.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The prophet Elijah is one of the greatest of spiritual reformers. He worked in Israel's Northern Kingdom 900 years before Jesus, in the time of King Ahab and his Queen, Jezebel. Under these two the worship of Yahweh (God) was almost wiped out as the people turned to the pagan god Baal, although it was less than 50 years since Solomon had built the Temple in Jerusalem to worship Yahweh. Consequently, God sends Elijah to King Ahab to declare that He is sending a drought over the land because of the people's action (1 Kings 17.1-7). Elijah follows this up by challenging the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah to see who is more powerful, in an attempt to bring the people back to God (1 Kings 18.17-39). The outstanding result, based on a single prayer, was to prove that Yahweh controlled nature and not the pagan gods. However, Elijah is forced to flee from Queen Jezebel's wrath as her men track him throughout the land seeking to kill him.

At this point in today's reading we find Elijah cowering in a cave on Mount Sinai, the place where the covenant was created between God and Moses and His people. Yahweh demonstrates His power in the wind, earthquake and fire. Then in out of the silence comes a still small voice, that speaks like a father to his errant son. Twice Yahweh asks "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Twice Elijah does not answer the question but tries to make an excuse for his behaviour. "I have been very zealous for the Lord", he says. God ignores this piece of fabrication (for many of His prophets are alive), and promptly redirects His servant's thoughts to new work to be done.

At the point when Elijah was in the depths of despair, God meets him. He redirects his thoughts to new work, so that he leaves this sacred space renewed with courage and zeal for the work ahead.

Heavenly Father,
Moses and Elijah were called
to do Your work in the world.
They made mistakes,
but ultimately obeyed Your word.
May we too draw closer to You
and hear Your word for us;
may we also learn to trust You
and follow Your commands.
Amen.