Get Real November 23 Devotional
November 23, 2024
1 KINGS 19:11-12, 15-18|11 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; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
15 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. 16 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. 17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
God did not appear to Elijah in the great and spectacular elements of hurricane, earthquake, or fire. The prophet knew God was the source of all dramatic forces in the universe, after all, he sees them demonstrated in previous moments. It was not God’s power he needed to believe in, it was His tenderness. So God speaks to Elijah in a whisper, a gentle voice. He breaks up Elijah’s fearful vision of failure and isolation with new commands and realities. He gives the struggling leader simple tasks that he can do easily: anoint a new king, call a partner to the prophetic task, remember there are thousands of men and women in Israel who are faithful. Suddenly the prophet Elijah has friendship, community, and hope. Where Elijah had no way forward, God has answers which will deal with Ahab and his idolatry.
When has God been gentle with you?
