Day Twenty-Six -- Forget the king; send for the LORD's prophet.
1 Kings 16:21 to 2 Kings 4:37
Which will prevail? The earthly power of the king, or the will of God as spoken through the prophet? The two clash in today's reading, most notably in the persons of Ahab and Elijah. While there are other kings also covered in today's reading it is Ahab that stands out as the most rebellious to the ways of the LORD. He began to serve Baal (the god of his wife Jezebel) and did not take kindly to the words spoken to him by Elijah. It can a dangerous calling to speak God's words to one who is hostile to the LORD's ways, but a true prophet can do nothing less.
While we encounter a number of my favorite passages today, the one that stands out for me is when the LORD tells Elijah, who is hiding in a cave, to "Go out on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." The mountain is alternately torn apart and battered by the wind, an earthquake, and fire - but the LORD is not was not to be found in any of these powerful forces. So, where was the LORD to be found? In a "gentle whisper" that caused Elijah not to fear, but to hear. And what Elijah heard was the voice of God.
I sometimes wonder if there have been times I've missed something significant that God was trying to tell or teach me because I was expecting some big response, and in doing so totally overlooked a gentle word of divine love.
Which will prevail? The earthly power of the king, or the will of God as spoken through the prophet? The two clash in today's reading, most notably in the persons of Ahab and Elijah. While there are other kings also covered in today's reading it is Ahab that stands out as the most rebellious to the ways of the LORD. He began to serve Baal (the god of his wife Jezebel) and did not take kindly to the words spoken to him by Elijah. It can a dangerous calling to speak God's words to one who is hostile to the LORD's ways, but a true prophet can do nothing less.
While we encounter a number of my favorite passages today, the one that stands out for me is when the LORD tells Elijah, who is hiding in a cave, to "Go out on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." The mountain is alternately torn apart and battered by the wind, an earthquake, and fire - but the LORD is not was not to be found in any of these powerful forces. So, where was the LORD to be found? In a "gentle whisper" that caused Elijah not to fear, but to hear. And what Elijah heard was the voice of God.
I sometimes wonder if there have been times I've missed something significant that God was trying to tell or teach me because I was expecting some big response, and in doing so totally overlooked a gentle word of divine love.
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