What are you doing here?

READ: 1 Kings 19, 20 ; Proverbs 3 ; John 9: 24-41

SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 19: 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. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

OBSERVATION: After the Lord answered Elijah's prayer by fire, after he saw the great rain that God sent in response to his earnest prayer, Elijah should have been confident to pursue the reform or revival that started on the top of Mount Carmel where the Israelites proclaimed, “The Lord—he is God!” But, he became panicked by Jezebel's words and fled away to protect himself. Instead of rebuking Elijah for his prayer (v. 4), God comforted him through an angel and allowed him to take the much needed (physical and mental) rest. However, when the angel of the Lord told him “for the journey is too much for you”, instead of asking for God’s direction, he went alone to Horeb. He may have thought that a cave in the desert mountain could be a safe place from the threats of Jezebel. But the Lord had different plans for him.

In fear and frustration, we too may want to go to lonely places to hide ourselves from others, like Elijah did. Such times, God would ask us, “What are you doing here?” The powerful wind, earthquake, and fire that we read in verses 12 and 13 represent Elijah’s heart condition and expectation. But, Elijah needed to hear God’s gentle voice. Obviously, Elijah was not in the place where God wanted him. When Elijah was repeatedly responding to the Lord with self-pity by saying that “I am the only one left,” this time instead of comforting him, God told,  “Go back the way you came” and gave three important responsibilities that would determine the history of the next generation. In the end, he encouraged him that you are not the only one left, and told him, “I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him” (v.15-18). In our life, we would come across ups and downs, victorious mountains and the darkest valley of death, great joy and sorrow, green pastures and dry desert lands. In all these, we should seek where God wants us to be. Further, we should be ready to hear God’s gentle voice that gives us his direction. Do we do this? Are we ready to do this? Remember: The threats and failures we may face in our life, and our fears cannot stop God's plan. 

APPLICATION: I am not better than Elijah. I may go through distressing experiences, fears, disappointments and failures. However, instead of looking at those things and doing what I want, I need to seek God and his directions. Human plans can never disrupt God’s plan for me. God encourages me that I am not alone in the battle against the devil. He walks with me. God enables me to hear his gentle voice to know his guidance. I need to “Trust and Obey” him always.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your ever presence in my life. You sustain me in all situations. Lord, I want to hear your gentle voice every day. Help me to be sensitive to hear your words. Almighty God, strengthen me to live according to your will. Amen.

 - Arputharaj Samuel

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