And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the Word of the LORD came to him, and He said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken Thy Covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And He said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake 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: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:9-13)
Elijah ran in fear from Jezebel thinking he alone had survived her wrath and that none except himself, despite God’s power demonstrated at Mt. Carmel and the declaration of the people that the LORD is God, remained serving God. God fed Elijah as he journeyed, directed him to Mt. Horeb, and then got his attention through several events. When He spoke, the still small voice called Elijah out of the cave and into His presence where God reminded Elijah that God knows His own, and had preserved 7000 in Israel who did not worship baal or follow Ahab and Jezebel. God then commanded Elijah to anoint his successor and new kings in Syria and Israel, for God was doing a mighty work for His people.
God is not weak, nor can He fail, and He knows those who are His. He may use circumstances to get our attention, but He speaks through His Word and the still small voice of His Spirit to guide and direct us. Those who are His hear His voice and respond, not in fear of man or of what man may do, but with the fear of the LORD we obey. Just as God called us to Salvation, He calls us to service, submission, and sacrifice. We were saved by God’s grace and our repentance and faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. We serve Him through His Church, not to gain or keep anything from the LORD but because of our love for Him and for others. We submit to His will, forsaking our own that others may hear His Word and believe, growing in discipleship and coming to faith in Christ. We sacrifice, not gain God’s favor, but because He owns it all, and because He calls us to give ourselves unto Him and to give of ourselves, willingly and cheerfully, that we may reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word, until He is done with us. We are not alone in the ministry, missions, and discipleship God has called His people to do, nor will He leave us or forsake us, as He continues His work in and through us.
While we are here, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet