Where are you, God?


If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment. –Henry David Thoreau


There he stood, hood up over his head, cloak pulled tightly around him. He had laughed at lesser gods, taunted and murdered the prophets and really, really ticked off the queen. 

He was running for his life, sleeping in a cave, shivering in fear.

The prophet Elijah had never felt so alone in his life. The few he loved, he had to leave behind in his mad flee to safety.

Elijah was too terrified even to realize there were angels of the LORD caring for him, providing him rest and sustenance. Elijah prayed to the LORD to die, to join his ancestors. At least then he wouldn't be alone.

But now Elijah is waiting. How will the LORD arrive? With a fanfare of angels and trumpets? In fire and glory? A demonstration of might and power?

Not at all.

As Elijah waited, there was fire and wind and earthquake-- but the Lord was not in any of those things.

When Elijah's heart grew still, he heard it: a whisper asking a simple question: What are you doing here, Elijah? 

The LORD's presence and comfort come not from the world around us, but from within. And we are never as alone as we might feel at any moment.

Stop. Look. Listen with the ears of your heart.


Monday We say it all the time: I could hardly believe my eyes! Today, look deeply around you, and really see. Isaiah 9:1

Tuesday Tuesday can be the forgotten day of the week, the neglected one. Do something today that’s unusual or unexpected. Enjoy! Psalm 27:1

Wednesday As we hit the midweek “hump,” pause. Look around. What have you accomplished this week that makes you feel good? Psalm 27:4-9

Thursday Take another midweek pause and look ahead. Have you scheduled in break time? Time for rejuvenation and prayer?  Isaiah 9:2-4

Friday It’s a whole month into the new year already! Pause today and give thanks for the journey so far. 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Saturday As you pray for yourself today, reflect on the month just past. Offer to the Lord any things you’re less than proud of. Feel God’s grace and mercy. Matthew 4:12-17

Sunday Is Sunday a day you look forward to? Why? What can you do to improve your spiritual journey with Jesus and with others? What’s keeping you from doing such things? Matthew 4:18-23

All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone. –Blaise Pascal

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stepping back. . . .

Image
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and with a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,  even if your whole world seems upset.  –St. Francis de Sales This week, I invite you to simply sit in a quiet space with words of hope and promise, and to remember, as Julian of Norwich knew, that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well . It has been a long, difficult season. Advent and the coming of the Christ is just around the corner. Peace and comfort to your spirit. Monday   “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Matthew 11:28-30 Tuesday  “Is this not the kind of fast I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6-9 Wednesday  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the
Read more

It's that time again. . . .

When the seasons shift, even the subtle beginning, the scent of a promised changed, I feel something stir inside me. Hopefulness? Gratitude? Openness?  Whatever it is,  it’s welcome. –Kristin Armstrong No matter what part of the world you call home, this time of year brings big changes. While my friends Down Under are watching sings of new growth emerge from the earth as temperatures rise, here in Ohio, the leaves are turning from green to gold and orange, red and brown. The winds have taken on a chill; clouds hang heavy, like soggy cotton, reminding us that soon and very soon, we are going to see the snow . Always different, yet somehow, the same. We depend on God’s eternal ways, and trust that again this year, winter will follow autumn, just like it should. So why is it, as we anticipate and appreciate changes like these, when it comes to so many things in life we pull up short, wrinkle our noses and say No! No change! I like things just the way they are! It’s t
Read more

Starting again

“This, then, is how you should pray:" --Matthew 6:9a I have been really sensing lately that there is another blog inside me, one focused on prayer.  Oh, I know-- those elephants are all about prayer. Heck, they  are  prayer. And I will continue there, as well. But what I've been feeling is that people-- maybe you--  have always been told, "You should pray," or "Pray about that." But maybe you feel your prayers aren't "good enough," or that it's just too hard, too embarrassing, too [fill in the blank] to pray. Maybe it feels like no one really talks about how  to pray-- except, of course, for Jesus, in Matthew 6 and a couple parallel passages where we are given what's come to be known as The Lord's Prayer. And it is a great prayer. And there are other great prayers, and other ways to pray that do not involve rote. So "my plan" here is to share, hopefully on a weekly or semi-regular basis, a lot of
Read more