The Whisper Of God

"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. After the fire came a gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:11-12).

Many times in life we feel as though the "wind" has torn us apart, that the violent earth shattering earthquake has split our lives in two, and if that was not enough; fire came and destroyed what was left. In every life some form of disaster may happen, in fact, it will. The degree of damage is due to the severity of the "wind", "earthquake", or "fire"; rocks are falling and we wonder when they will stop.  Then, when God has our attention, for that is what He is trying to do, "come back," He is calling to His children. He allows for disasters to get our attention, for we are headed in the wrong direction. We who are His children have a Father that truly cares and will do whatever is necessary to bring us back from a greater disaster that lays ahead in life, only we can't see it from where we are now.  Like Elijah, who ran and hid out of fear, God had other plans, plans that Elijah must carry out. The question before Elijah was, and for us also, "will you obey God?"

Listen! Do you hear the "whisper of God?" He is speaking to you, gently urging you to come back to Him. Storms may come but our God is with us through the storms.  He is not in the storm, He did not cause the storm; He used it to get our attention. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior we entered into a covenant with God. Our God is a covenant God and hates it when covenants are broken; "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant" (Ezekiel 16:59). God was angry with Israel and spoke harsh words against them, allowing for disaster in the form of destruction and capture; led off to foreign lands.  Hear what our God says: "For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. the soul who sins is the one who will die" (Ezekiel 18:4). Praise be to God who is loving to the nth degree, compassionate, and loving father. "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live" (Ezekiel 18:21-22).

God does not care if we are successful, working hard for family, doing service in the church, or anything thing that we have contrived to do to prove our faith.  If it is not of God; God directed as with Elijah when the LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came..." (1 Kings 19:15a); then it is not acceptable. God calls us to obedience, listen for His whisper, He will give you the instructions for that which He wants of you. Yes, take care of family, yes do that servant work in the church, and there is nothing wrong with being successful but not at the expense of family, or doing for God rather than listening to God. 

Our God loves us so much that He came and died for us, what greater act than that can be done? We must remember the sacrifice He gave for us and be spurred on to allow Him to mold us into the shape He wants of us. The question: "Will we allow that?"

Daily Prayer:

Father, thank you for your great love, demonstrated by Jesus Your Son sacrificed while I was yet a sinner and undeserving. You say we are Your children and that You forgive and forget our sins.  Please forgive me where I have sinned. Restore me, and use me to become the blessing for others who need you.     Amen