1 Kings 19:9-18
9 At [Horeb, the mount of God,][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?” 10 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.”
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. 13 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?” 14 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.” 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.”
…a sound of sheer silence
Hello darkness my old friend. I’ve come to sit with you again…within the sound of silence.
Elijah is physically, morally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. He has been running for his life because the Word God gave him to speak kindled rage in the queen of the land. After finding a cave to hide in, Elijah cries out to God in his terror, rage and exhaustion:
“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.”
While he’s waiting for God to respond, he experiences a strong wind and an earthquake. And then, the true Sign of God’s presence happens – a sound of sheer silence. In that silence, God meets Elijah where he is, heals his wounds, and sends him out into ministry again.
I wonder what it would be like to experience “a sound of sheer silence”. I’ve never experienced anything like that. I would imagine that it would feel heavy and choking, like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. It would certainly get my attention.
God used that sheer silence to get Elijah’s attention. As long as he was lost in his own head, reciting his list of grievances, Elijah wasn’t going to hear anything God had to say. The same is true for us. Whether we’re running around trying to drown-out our pain with busy-ness, or isolating ourselves to dwell on our pain alone, we can’t hear God until we stop the noise.
Cultivating silence in our mind and spirit through daily prayer, study and meditation prepares us to listen for God’s Word of comfort and peace in the sound of sheer silence.
Prayer: Gracious and Loving Lord, thank you for coming to us when we’re in pain and speaking peace into the depths of our hearts in the sound of sheer silence. AMEN