Elijah was one powerful prophet. God was with him in spirit and in power. He awakened the widow’s son from the sleep of death. He called down fire from heaven to consume his offering—an act that the false prophets could not duplicate. He prayed for rain and the heavens answered him. With God’s almighty hand supporting him, no foe could stand against him.
With one threat against his life, however, Elijah’s strength left him. He quickly forgot God’s power and fled for his life. Elijah began to doubt and lost hope. Hiding like a coward, he failed as a prophet.
Elijah was a man. Like any man, he inevitably had moments of weakness. How many of us would be able to endure what Elijah lived through? For years, he lived alone in the desert, depending on food brought to him by birds to survive. Who could stand against an army of unholy prophets and challenge them before a nation? Who could accept God’s calling to stand by His words and lead His straying sheep?
God showed mercy towards Elijah. At Mount Horeb, he showed Elijah something amazing, a wonderful teaching beyond this world. The wind tore the mountains apart. The earthquake shattered the rocks. The fire consumed everything into a cinder. God was not in any of these things. A gentle whisper floated through the air. At this point, Elijah came out to meet God.
God dwells in our midst. God is the gentle whisper. God is with us at all times. He is by our side when we face hard times. When we suffer, He suffers with us. We might not see signs or miracles at the moment to prove His presence, but He is definitely here. With that bit of knowledge, there should never be any reason to fear.
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