"What Are You Doing Here?"

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

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?”

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 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?”

14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. (1 Kings 19:1-21, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Today we return to the story of Elijah, this time asking ourselves: "What comes next?" For all Elijah's self-pity and frustration with God, God has provided for him. What a complete picture of the fickleness of humanity Elijah presents here! We might suppose that having been revived, not once, but twice by God's messengers, Elijah might have stopped, built an altar, and praised and worshiped God! Instead, Elijah gets up and travels quite a distance. This act seems hopeful and redemptive until we find at the journey's end he hides in a cave. Even God appears to wonder what is going on and asks: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Elijah's answer starts off well. He has been zealous for the Lord and served the Lord as he thought God desired. But then he bemoans that he is the only righteous believer left. At this point God tells Elijah that God is going to appear to him, "to pass by." A great rock-shattering wind occurs, followed by an earthquake and then a fire. Yet Elijah hears nothing of God's voice in any of this. Finally, a great silence descends upon Elijah and in it Elijah encounters the divine voice. God asks again: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" and then sends Elijah forth with a mission.

God's question to Elijah is relevant for us today. What are we doing wherever we find ourselves? Do we trust God to be with us in the midst of adversity? Or do we trust only in our own capabilities? Do you have unfulfilled expectations for what your life should look like? And, if so, are you wondering if you've missed God's calling on your life? Time and time again I have seen God work miracles in my life, only to falter with the next adverse situation occurs. When God's question comes to you, how will you respond?

PRAYER:

Gracious Lord, remind me of your great faithfulness no matter what situation I find myself in today. By your grace, strengthen me. Empower me to stand firm and to hold fast to you.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I continue to give thanks to God for his enduring grace. I can't tell you how many times I've heard wrestled with the question: "What are you doing here, Tres?" Sometimes it's been God asking this question, and sometimes I've been asking it of myself. As a natural introvert who tends to be introspective, I oftentimes struggle with frustration when adverse situations come my way—frustrations that stem from ministry "failures," financial struggles, unfulfilled dreams, and a whole host of other issues. But, as I mentioned yesterday, God has graciously and patiently borne with my struggles. He's come to me and whispered to my heart in a still small voice. He's ministered to me and upheld me with his kindness and compassion. Rather than bombarding me with guilt or accusations, he's mysteriously worked in quiet ways to motivate me with questions and reminders of who I am and whose I am.