Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
June 29, 2021
Read 1 Kings 19:6-18
6 Elijah opened his eyes and saw flatbread baked on glowing coals and a jar of water right by his head. He ate and drank, and then went back to sleep. 7 The LORD’s messenger returned a second time and tapped him. “Get up!” the messenger said. “Eat something, because you have a difficult road ahead of you.” 8 Elijah got up, ate and drank, and went refreshed by that food for forty days and nights until he arrived at Horeb, God’s mountain. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. The LORD’s word came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 10 Elijah replied, “I’ve been very passionate for the LORD God of heavenly forces because the Israelites have abandoned your covenant. They have torn down your altars, and they have murdered your prophets with the sword. I’m the only one left, and now they want to take my life too!” 11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand at the mountain before the LORD. The LORD is passing by.” A very strong wind tore through the mountains and broke apart the stones before the LORD. But the LORD wasn’t in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake. But the LORD wasn’t in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire. But the LORD wasn’t in the fire. After the fire, there was a sound. Thin. Quiet. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat. He went out and stood at the cave’s entrance. A voice came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I’ve been very passionate for the LORD God of heavenly forces because the Israelites have abandoned your covenant. They have torn down your altars, and they have murdered your prophets with the sword. I’m the only one left, and now they want to take my life too.” 15 The LORD said to him, “Go back through the desert to Damascus and anoint Hazael as king of Aram. 16 Also anoint Jehu, Nimshi’s son, as king of Israel; and anoint Elisha from Abel-meholah, Shaphat’s son, to succeed you as prophet. 17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill. Whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 But I have preserved those who remain in Israel, totaling seven thousand—all those whose knees haven’t bowed down to Baal and whose mouths haven’t kissed him.”
Good Morning! Rejoice! Rejoice! Again I say rejoice!
Be still and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10 Many of you, as do I, have hectic lives, and even those who have calm lives are often inundated with the noises that accompany the modern conveniences that exist in our world today. I guess one of the reasons that I enjoy my quiet time in the morning, sitting in the early morning hours when the sun has yet to appear over the horizon, is that I am free from distractions to listen and talk to God. As I take Neon out for his morning constitutional, I can drink in God’s majesty around me with all of my senses engaged. Even in my new home, this is a special time free of distractions.
I am fascinated by the dramatic build-up that Elijah experienced with the powerful wind, the earthquake, and the fire. Yet these seem to only be to get Elijah’s attention because when God spoke, it was with a thin, quiet voice: a voice that Elijah immediately recognized. In our lives today where we have so much drama, noise, and distractions, I fear that many times we miss God’s messages. We have become a society that jumps from one viral tweet or video to another. How can God compete with all of that or more importantly does God choose to compete with all that?
For those who are looking and listening for God in their lives, He is everywhere. God is the splendor of the mountains, the roar of the ocean waves, the beauty of the flowers, and an integral part of the Earth which he made. God doesn’t need to rely upon manmade drama to get our attention. God touches us in the beauty of a butterfly fluttering in our gardens. God is everywhere whenever we open our eyes and hearts as little children and pay attention.
Creator God, Thank You for loving us. Using the gifts that you have bestowed upon us, Your children, we have created so many ways to mask your presence in our world. Too many times, we don’t even notice the simple beauty around us, and then there is the noise that accompanies all those modern conveniences. No wonder we miss your call to us. Help us to find ways to be still and know that you are God. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Thought for the day: How often do I accept God’s invitation to sit and to be still?
Be still! Listen! Pastor Liz