This blog came out of no where. I sat down with my computer ready to write about another subject, and suddenly I heard a gentle, "Shhhh." I listened. It was very quiet. I thought about God's whisper to Elijah at Horeb. Elijah had just won a stupendous victory by God's strength over the powerful priests of Baal. As a result,through passionate prayer he saw his beloved Israel turn back to faith in God.
Then Queen Jezebel threatened him and he ran like crazy for an entire day stopping only to pray to die. He traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God where he stumbled into a cave. What happened?
Sometimes, after a great spiritual victory the evil one attacks with a ferocity unusual even for him. He knows when we are most vulnerable. He knows when we are exhausted. He knows when we doubt. Did doubts of God's love fill Elijah's soul?
When that word, "doubt" entered my mind it reminded me of the one and only love letter my husband ever gave me. He didn't send it. He gave it to me for Valentine's Day back in 1968. I never looked it up, but I'm pretty certain my husband, who is way more engineer than poet, didn't write it. But...he figured it would work!
Doubt the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt my love
O, dear one I am ill at these numbers
I have not art to reckon my groans;
but I love thee best, O most best, believe it.
I believed it! My dear husband, through these simple verses, and of course, a number of other things, persuaded me of his true love.
And God persuaded Elijah! Poor Elijah. He was at the end of his rope. He was feeling alone and horribly sorry for himself. Did God rebuke him for his lack of faith? No. Did he tell him his doubts were sinful? No. Did he reprimand him for forgetting how much God loved him in the past? No.
He told Elijah, "'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' 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 there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"
Elijah was not alone! GOD WAS WITH HIM! God spoke to him telling him He would triumph. He gave him Elisha so he would have a brother, friend and companion. He gave Elijah new work to do and told him to get busy!
Never, ever doubt God's love for you. He will always love you. He will triumph through you. He will be with you and you and you and you...always. "Shhhh." Are you listening?
Then Queen Jezebel threatened him and he ran like crazy for an entire day stopping only to pray to die. He traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God where he stumbled into a cave. What happened?
Sometimes, after a great spiritual victory the evil one attacks with a ferocity unusual even for him. He knows when we are most vulnerable. He knows when we are exhausted. He knows when we doubt. Did doubts of God's love fill Elijah's soul?
When that word, "doubt" entered my mind it reminded me of the one and only love letter my husband ever gave me. He didn't send it. He gave it to me for Valentine's Day back in 1968. I never looked it up, but I'm pretty certain my husband, who is way more engineer than poet, didn't write it. But...he figured it would work!
Doubt the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt my love
O, dear one I am ill at these numbers
I have not art to reckon my groans;
but I love thee best, O most best, believe it.
I believed it! My dear husband, through these simple verses, and of course, a number of other things, persuaded me of his true love.
And God persuaded Elijah! Poor Elijah. He was at the end of his rope. He was feeling alone and horribly sorry for himself. Did God rebuke him for his lack of faith? No. Did he tell him his doubts were sinful? No. Did he reprimand him for forgetting how much God loved him in the past? No.
He told Elijah, "'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' 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 there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"
Elijah was not alone! GOD WAS WITH HIM! God spoke to him telling him He would triumph. He gave him Elisha so he would have a brother, friend and companion. He gave Elijah new work to do and told him to get busy!
Never, ever doubt God's love for you. He will always love you. He will triumph through you. He will be with you and you and you and you...always. "Shhhh." Are you listening?
First, that is such a beautiful story about Jim. I don't think I ever heard it, or read his testimony of love. You must have been blown away. Second, you chose one of the best stories in the Bible to illustrate our wobbly nature and God's constancy. Thanks for the reminder. I am going to go and listen. I know... I know... to do that, I must first be still, and quiet.
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