Daily Lesson for June 24, 2020

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from 1 Kings chapter 19 verses 9 through 16:

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”

11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.

These are tumultuous times for Elijah the prophet; and though he has just seen a mighty victory over the prophets of Baal, the evil Ahab and his wicked wife seem not to even flinch, but rather double down on Elijah’s life.

Exhausted, he heads for the hills — literally, and a mountain of despair. Worn out and defeated, he enters a cave of isolation. He is hopeless and depressed and — seemingly — all alone.

The earth shakes, the wind blows, and fire erupts, but none of these stirs Elijah from his despair. Nothing outside can convince him the struggle is worth continuing.

But then, there is stillness, the “sound of sheer silence”, and inside it Elijah hears the voice of God. He is not alone.  God is with him.  And so too, it is revealed, are others. Elijah is to go and find them.

Friends, do not despair. We are not alone. Though the struggle is long, and hard the forces of evil may seem to be so strong, we are not alone.

So find the silence today. Hear the still voice of God. Find God. And then find friends . . .

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year.  Tomorrow’s Lesson comes from 1 Kings 20-21.