In the Worst of Times – Listen!
The first reading today is about Elijah. Briefly, a little background. Elijah was one of the prophets who tried to keep the Israelites on the path of following God. Elijah is a major prophet, considered equal to Moses, and he confronts King Ahab. King Ahab worships Baal, and the Israelites are wavering. Baal is the primary competition for the loyalty of the people of Israel. Elijah confronts the King and the Israelites. He asks them to choose whom they are going to worship Yahweh or Baal. A great contest occurs between King Ahab and Elijah. Yahweh is with Elijah, and he defeats King Ahab and Baal in every battle.
In this reading, we find Elijah hiding in a cave on Mount Horeb. He hears a voice telling him to go outside and stand at the mouth of the cave, and God will come. Elijah does that, and at first, there is wind so strong it crushes boulders, but God is not in the wind, then an earthquake and God is not in the earthquake, then fire, but again God is not in the fire. Finally, there is a tiny whispering sound like a breeze, and Elijah recognizes the voice of the Lord. Elijah pours out his heart to God, and God asks Elijah what he wants him to do for him. The story goes on and is wonderfully engaging. I encourage you to read the whole thing, but this part spoke to my heart today.
Elijah is a good guy. He has done everything God has asked. Yet his life has now gone wrong, and he is hiding for his life. That is not so very different from us. Very often, we do our very best to be who God wants us to be. We are faithful. We listen, we serve, and we pray. We are the imperfect but loyal followers of God. We believe.
Inevitably, in all of our lives, catastrophe strikes, a death, critical illness, loss of a job, ending of a marriage, or any of the other numerous things that could bring us to desperation. Sometimes instead of seeking God in those traumatic times, we ask, “God, how could you let this happen?” Instead of falling to our knees in prayer, we look to God with recrimination in our hearts. We don’t understand how, when we have tried so hard to be faithful, God could allow this tragedy. Elijah is a remarkable role model for us. Many times, I have heard myself say, “God, how could you let this happen?” Maybe you have found yourself asking the same question.
Perhaps the greatest lesson for us today is when tragedy strikes and the unthinkable happens, be quiet in God’s presence. Listen for the whisper of His voice and then, like Elijah, pour out your heart to Him.
God is not found in the raging winds of our pleading. He is not found in the earthquake of our recriminations, or even the fire of our anger. God is found in the silence of a loving and trusting heart. The whisper of God will only be heard when we quiet the noise both outside and within ourselves and listen. And God answers our prayer.
The situation may not conclude as we would want. If we listen, amid the tragedy and chaos to the soothing, loving, and absolutely reliable voice of God — God will lead us through. He will give us the strength to take the next step, and then the step after that.
God is faithful. He didn’t abandon Elijah, he didn’t abandon His Son, and he will not abandon us. God is faithful. He will never leave, even if, in our desperation, we cry out in anger and frustration. Even if we question His fidelity, God is faithful. Even with tears flowing down our faces, when we quiet our soul, we will hear the whisper of God’s voice, and be embraced in His love.
Our God of infinite compassion is with us always, even to the end of time. He is with us most notably, in the worst of times.
In God’s unending love,
Gwen
