1 Kings 19:1-12 (NIV)__________________________________________________________
Elijah Flees to Horeb
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
The LORD Appears to Elijah
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
We are living in a very busy and hectic world where time is money. From our waking moment we rush to work. At work, we rush our job so that we may go home on time. At home, we rush to finish any miscellaneous tasks in order to sleep. The next morning the cycle repeats!
We rush to live, we live to rush.
However, today's message reminds me of this year's Labour Day, when sister Raphaela invited me to the Parish Retreat at her church. In a typical morning, we were guided to do not-so-typical things.
We were told to keep quiet, absolute utter silence. Apart from our speech silence, we were also told to keep our mind activities down to nothingness. It was so hard! My mind was so occupied with my daily rush-ins and rush-outs, it was near impossible. After I manage to calm down a little, I have to focus again to prevent myself from falling asleep.
However at a certain point, when I could really focus on keeping my mind blank, I felt a great peace overwhelming my entirety, just as if God touched me. I heard a gentle whisper, telling me “I’m glad you came”. Even up till today I’m still wondering if I imagined that whisper up, but that sense of peacefulness was so irrefutable I’m sure it’s Him. That experience left me a deep impact.
When was the last time when you left a silent period after you prayed, for God to speak to you? Why not start today, by leaving some room after your prayer and listen attentively and patiently for God's whisper.
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