Author's Note:  Taken straight from scripture, 1 Kings 19:3-15, and told from Elijah's point of view…

ON MOUNT HOREB

~


I just couldn't take it any more! I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I didn't care. Doesn't God understand that I was in serious danger? After everything I did for Him. Things were going so well...

But now, the enemy is attacking. I have had enough. That's why I ran away. That's why I am here now. "God I don't want to live anymore, what's the point?"

I didn't hear an answer, so I just laid down and slept. When I awoke, I found that everything was the same. There is no way to escape... Nothing I can do...

That's when it began, as if I didn't have enough problems already. A great and powerful wind howled and wailed right outside the opening of my cave. It was worse than any wind I had ever seen before. It ripped trees from the earth and shattered the rocks around me. That's when I was afraid. I had prayed that God would mercifully let me die, and now He must be doing that through this storm.

Then, underneath my feet. The ground was moving, shaking violently. An earthquake! Now, the rocks above and below me were crashing down all around. I felt trapped. I Began to scream "No, God don't do this!" But He didn't hear me. He must have not heard, because he isn't helping me.

Then a blazing heat spread throughout my body. A fire was consuming what was left of the mountainside. I was surely going to die. Huge flames leaped higher than I had ever thought possible. The realization that God was not here just struck me. "Where are you?" I desperately cried. I fell to the ground and covered my head with my arms. The horrible destruction continued roaring dangerously near.

That's when I heard the voice.

A soft voice gently whispered,
"Elijah"

I knew it was God calling me. Although I could barely hear the almost inaudible whisper, I only hesitated a moment before jumping up and running through the debris (with my cloak over my mouth in order to breath). By the time I reached the opening of the cave, the clouds had gone a way and the weather was beautiful.

Then the voice said to me," What are you doing here?"

I knew I had no good excuse and that I had deliberately disobeyed. But I told God how I ran away because I was afraid for my life.

"Go Back," was His reply.

~
That was how I experienced God on Mount Horeb. In the midst of all my overwhelming problems and drowned in my own despair. I wasn't listening for God's voice, but instead expected Him to speak loud and clear. In the midst of the hardest times, like winds, earthquakes, and fire, it doesn't seem like God even hears you.

But sometimes, he speaks through a whisper... Calling you to listen...

"Elijah"