NOT GUILTY!
the Saving GRACE of God’s Redeeming LOVE
April 19th, 2023
Hidden
1 Kings 19:11-13, ‘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. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”’ (NIV)
God pursues us no matter where we might find ourselves. Even hidden in a cave. What a mighty man of God, Elijah, the prophet was, and yet, His sorrow and His discouragement drove him to the back of a cave, hiding even from himself. I find it beautiful, that in the midst of this man’s frustration and depression, God sought to reveal Himself, not as we might believe the God of the Universe would appear, but in a way one might never expect. Even in the silence. Even in a whisper. I like to think God chooses to speak in whispers, because He desires to be close enough to His children so we can hear Him even when He whispers.
See, I wouldn’t be surprised if God flashed down out of the sky in a lightning bolt or appeared in some earth-shattering way. In fact, today, with all the tumultuous storms—the earthquakes and tsunamis, the hurricanes and wildfires, the tornadoes and travesties, we keep looking for the Lord in the midst of all of those, believing it is He speaking through those tragedies, wielding His power. Because that is how we expect He might appear. Never in a whisper. Yet, in days of old, He whispered, and garnered the attention of a prophetic man.
He seeks us still today. Wouldn’t it be amazing, if suddenly, you heard Him say, “Go out and stand still for I am about to pass by.” I cannot fathom what it would be like if I felt the wind upon my face, to know it was Him, on the move. If the sudden fragrance permeating the air was the very breath of God as He shifted past me. To have the veil lifted and see Him right before me; His back to me, because no one still has ever been able to see His face.
Maybe, He is trying to get our attention through the format the world expects. But, maybe, just maybe, He is speaking to us, and if we draw close enough to Him, we might just hear Him…whisper, ‘Not Guilty!’
God’s Loving Kindness Leads Me to Repentance
