Devotional| What are you doing here? by Jodie McCarthy

How have you felt over the last few months? How have you reacted to the ups and downs of isolation, and now the relaxing of restrictions? Have you asked the question, “What am I doing here?”

I have recently been pondering a passage from Kings which details Elijah’s escape from Jezebel after he defeats the prophets of Baal. We find the account in 1 Kings 19:

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 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.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 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.
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.” 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. There he went into a cave and spent the night.
(1 Kings 19: 3-8, NIV)

I love the picture of God here, how he sees to our needs in times of stress and trouble. He allows us our grumbles, and calmly goes on feeding us and tending to us.

When Elijah retreats in fear for his life, we see that he is exhausted. While I was not in fear for my life, the weight of the decisions at the beginning of our shutdown meant I was exhausted. I was making decisions for our primary school girls in regard to their schooling and, when they were home, I became Mum-the-teacher.

Then as we settled into a routine, I became Mum-the-supervisor, so I was often in the kitchen baking. Yes, we ate our way through isolation, but to be fair, my kids were constantly hungry and required all the snacks, all the time.

Finally, as our needs were met, we were able to discover a rhythm and routine. We even had seven weeks of all the family at home together (our forty days and forty nights)!

But it is the end of this interaction that Elijah has with God that I want to focus on. For after he is rested and fed, and in a safe and secure place, then and only then, does God ask him a question.

He waits until Elijah is physically rested and restored, before he turns to the spiritual cause of his distress asking, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah is then able to spill out his emotions. He had done what God had required and it had almost cost him his life.

What follows is the beautiful well-known interaction between God and Elijah detailed below:

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. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  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?”
( 1 Kings 19:11-13, NIV)

God is not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, but he is in the gentle whisper.

I have definitely felt this process with God during my time of isolation. A time of getting the rest I need, and a time of restoration. Then a stripping away of all the noise that surrounded me. For God is not in the wind, the noise of other’s opinions and ideas.

Then a stripping away of all that unsettles me, for God is not in the earthquake; nor is he in the fire, those things that seek to harm me.

And then finally, in the quiet I can hear God. And his message for me in this time is the same as it was for Elijah. “Go back to what you were doing. My mandate for you has not changed.” (See verses 15-18)

What is God saying to you as we emerge slowly from isolation? Is he reminding you that the mandate has not changed for you? Or, has he given you a new direction?

In this time, when all else has been stripped away, may you hear his still small voice calling you forward.

Peace be with you,

Jodie