The Voice of God…

1 Kings 19:11-13 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks 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. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 

Speaking with God, was proclaimed by our “expert” talk show madam, as insanity. Actually, she was specifically diagnosing those of us who believe Jesus walks with us and talks to us. She was saying that those who talk to God are normal, but those who HEAR God talking to them, are… well let’s just say… are insane.

After being taken to the woodshed, she admitted she didn’t have a clue so many would be offended. Unexpectedly, the brave woman, was bruised and bloodied after a playground battle in which she so joyfully brandished her sword of foolishness.

Unexpectedly, she heard the people of Jesus, who quietly go about His business of relaying His words of GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY (not the same joy…), raised up and unashamedly  proclaimed, “He speaks! If you don’t hear Him, you’re not listening!”.

Unexpectedly, this woman, of more glee than joy, was completely unaware she might be walking on God’s holy ground. I’m hoping she, unexpectedly, maybe for the first time, heard for herself the voice of God.

As a Jesus Freak Christian, a grafted in Gentile, a child of the most high God… I KNOW the voice of my God!

He could be in a great and strong wind. His voice would rend the mountains and break into pieces the rocks before the Lord… but no, the Lord was not in the wind.

He could be in an earthquake… but no, the Lord was not in the earthquake.

Or a fire… but no, the Lord was not in the fire.

Then, there was… A sound of a gentle blowing… 

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.

Elijah had run for the hills in fear… been fed and sustained by God, Himself… cried out over and over again for deliverance (even death) from these days of severe threat to his life by JEZEBEL!  (I mean he was being threatened by a very bitter woman).

Elijah was definitely talking to God about his predicament. He wasn’t claiming that he didn’t deserve such suffering. He was just saying how completely worn out He was from his battle with his enemies (1 Kings 19:4-5)

Did he, as someone might joyfully proclaimed, fall into insanity because he expected to hear from God about his situation? Do we, after bearing our heart and soul to Father in heaven, expect to also hear from Him?

May I just say… it would be insane to seek God for His answer if we didn’t EXPECT and RECEIVE His answer!

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises loving-kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. 

Maybe some of the Joys of this world aren’t familiar with the Lord who delights in loving-kindness, justice and righteousness. Maybe some of the Joys are too busy boasting of their own wisdom, might and  riches to understand and know the GREAT I AM… Who IS, WAS, and always WILL BE.

For those who believe in and love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5) Elijah teaches us about SEEKING – HEARING – FOLLOWING God.

Elijah sought the Lord… “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” He knew God would be there. And behold, the Lord was passing by! Even when God wasn’t in the dramatic and harsh elements, Elijah kept looking for Him. He KNEW God would speak to him so he PREPARED to listen.

He recognized God’s voice in the midst of all that was happening before him. Those winds, and earthquake, and fire,  probably reminded him of and felt exactly like the fear and threats that sent him running to the hills! In the midst, he didn’t run from God! He ran to God… when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.

And behold,  a (REAL – LIVE – LOVING) voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah KNEW him and was KNOWN by Him! And then… Elijah did what God told him to do… immediately and without doubt. (1 Kings 19:15-21)

Oh, for joy to come in the morning… if only you would seek the God of Jesus Freaks all over the world… if only you knew His voice… if only  you listened when He speaks (because He is speaking)… if only you followed His Words… “for the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

However the Word of the Lord comes, whether in a hurricane, an earthquake, a firestorm, or a gentle blowing, it comes to all. Those who KNOW and are KNOWN by our God who SPEAKS it, HEAR it!

Call us crazy… we will be the ones… Singing praise to the Lord, we His godly ones, and giving thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:4-5)

A shout of joy in the morning and blessing for a lifetime!

Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

The Voice of God is speaking! Are you listening?

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.