Death creds ∙

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:13

Hebrews 9:26-28

 26 But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

 28 Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

In the 21st century, there are all kinds of creds. The term “creds” is short for credentials. Creds is another way of referring to one’s “rep,” or “reputation.” It refers to an individual’s credibility among their associates and social or professional group. It signifies the quality of being believable or worthy of respect.

Folks with street creds are approved by ordinary young people and considered to be part of their culture. Usually, they share a sense of fashion and opinions. A person with prison creds has earned and commands respect from their fellow prisoners.

In life, what kind of a person has excellent credibility and a good reputation, “life creds”? They would possess, but not be limited to, the following characteristics. They would be reliable, dependable, and would do what they say. They do not defer to anyone. They would have no prejudice and would not discriminate based upon arbitrary, passing, temporal values. They would fit in and accommodate themselves to people without compromising their values or personal integrity. They would go out of their way to care and be helpful. They would be easily approachable. They would be self-sacrificial and put the needs of others before their own. They would love

unconditionally.

But what about death creds? Some good people with lots of life creds may go out of their way for the benefit of others. Rarely they might even die in another’s place. But such apparent altruism is not offered to just anybody. Instead, such self-sacrifice is somewhat exclusive. Such a person’s benevolence is provided only for somebody particularly close and important to them: good friends, parents for children, or children for parents. But such kindness is undoubtedly not made available to strangers, what some might deem deplorables, and above all, certainly not enemies.

Romans 5:7-8

 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.

 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners

Only one person ever “earned” absolute and total death creds in the history of planet Earth. He died for all people. He died for evil, sinful people. In so doing, He demonstrated His impartial, all-encompassing love for the world.

REFLECT & PRAY

Since the time of the garden of Eden and the fall of Adam and Eve, sin and death have had power and control over mankind.

Father thank you that the power of sin and even death has been broken for all time and eternity because of the death of Your beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

INSIGHT

The Lord Jesus Christ has the ultimate “life creds” and “death creds.” He not only died for us and provided us with eternal life, but He defeated death itself and removed any uncertainty or fear regarding it. Death has been defanged, and its bite has been removed forever for every child of the King. Not even the slightest hint of concern remains.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

 54 Death is swallowed up in victory.

 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

 57 Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But there’s more. The Lord Jesus Christ could never have been captured, bound, mocked, beaten, or cruelly killed if He had not allowed Himself to be.

Reflect upon that – he gave up his life and made a matchless self-sacrifice for each individual child of the King.

John 10:17-18

 17 The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again.

 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.

“These words would be utterly out of place were the Lord Jesus a mere man. He spoke of laying down His life and taking it up again by His own power. He could only do this because He is God. The Father loved the Lord Jesus because of His willingness to die and rise again, in order that lost sheep might be saved” (McDonald).

His sacrifice for us was totally voluntary, His own choice. He chose to lay down His life so that the world might be saved through Him. The Father’s plan for redemption was accomplished when His Son died for the sins of the world. The Son chose to take up His life again.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God . . .

The Lord Jesus Christ has unrivaled death creds. He alone is worthy!

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© Dr. H 2023

I have had enough LORD ∙

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. – Isaiah 46:3-4

1 Kings 19:2-18

 2 Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow, I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

 3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”

 6 He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

 7 Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

 8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

 11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

 12 And after the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and stood at the cave entrance. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

 18 [The Father responds] Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

A severe illness can be overwhelming for the entire family. Hospice care was created to provide assistance. Hospice offers individualized care to patients and families in their homes. It provides patient care, including symptom management, emotional support, spiritual support, and psychosocial intervention.

But it is essential to know that hospice is not curative but palliative. It is focused on the patient’s quality of life on their journey to end-of-life. It is for terminally ill patients who typically live less than six months. In 2017, hospice care patients, on average, lived for 76.1 days.

Repair and restoration are always possible when it comes to spiritual, emotional, and relational problems. They are not terminal. They can be mended and restored with the proper guidance, encouragement, and willingness to do the hard work to recover.

Psalms 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

It is much like recovering from a severe accident or surgery. After the medical intervention, recovery takes time, effort, and often physical therapy. But recovery is doable. This is possible for children of the King because of His supernatural activity in repairing and rebuilding hearts and spirits.

Many often give up hope and want to throw in the towel in our day and time. They wish they were dead. So it was with Elijah. He was tired, hungry, worn out, fearful, and emotionally and physically drained. He literally ran away from his problems.

The Father nurtured him back to physical, emotional, and spiritual health. First, He sent an angel. He himself also came and spoke directly to Elijah. Earlier, He sent ravens to provide food for him (1 Kings 17:4-6).

REFLECT & PRAY

It is not over until the Father says it is over! He calls us out of the doldrums of despair.

Father how many times have I lost all hope, thrown in the towel, and literally or figuratively run away from it all? Strengthen and encourage me to run the race You have set before me and finish well.

INSIGHT

The Father took care of Elijah’s physical depletion. Often, but not always, physical restoration precedes spiritual restoration and service.

1 Kings 19:7-8

 7 Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

 8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

The Father refreshed Elijah’s vision in a totally unanticipated personal, calming fashion. Before He spoke, there was a rock-shattering powerful wind. It was followed by a tumultuous earthquake and then a consuming fire. But the Father was not in any of these spectacular displays of His power. It is natural to ask for and expect a dramatic sign from Him. But His ways are not our ways.

“There followed a faint whisper, a voice quiet, and hushed, and low. Elijah knew it instantly. It was God!” (EBC). It was the sound of a gentle, soft whisper (1 Kings 19:12)

The Father knew exactly what Elijah needed: being so broken and heartsick and hiding in a cave. He spoke with a gentle, almost silent whisper. Can you imagine what Elijah heard? Perhaps only one word was repeated as necessary: “Elijah.” He was being called out of the doldrums of despair.

The still, small voice could be literally translated as a voice/sound of calm, soft/quiet (UBS). The phrase has been rendered “a gentle whisper” (NIV, NLT), “a soft murmuring sound” (NJPSV), “a gentle breeze” (CEV), and even “a sound of sheer silence” (NRSV) (UBS).

This phrase is translated from three Hebrew words qol demamah daq. Qol – voice, noise, sound; demamah – still, whisper, calm, silence; daq – thin, low, small, fine, soft with a sense of being quiet and soothing.

When the Father spoke, His first words were a question.

1 Kings 19:13 What are you doing here, Elijah?

Elijah could have said, “I am tired, frightened, and had enough; I am totally over it. I cannot take it anymore.” But instead, Elijah just complained and whined about how tough things were, but in the midst of it all, he tried to remain faithful. On top of that, he felt that he was all alone.

Elijah was off-track. But the situation was not terminal and could be repaired. The Father did not entertain or comment on Elijah’s self-pity, self-justification, and rationalizations. The Father still had work for Elijah to complete. He was gentle and gracious. He gave him new marching orders and specific instructions as to what to do. And most of all, He assured Elijah that he was not alone.

In order to get back on track with his spiritual life and responsibilities, he had to change his way of thinking and get over his pity party. He had to return the way he had come and pick up where he had left off.

You see, all he needed was a gentle reminder of who he was and Whom he served.

1 Kings 17:1 As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!

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© Dr. H 2023

I am with you ∙

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10-13

 10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

 11 Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.

 12 You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.

 13 For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’

The early days of the American War for Independence were bleak. In 1777, after a string of defeats, Philadelphia had fallen, the brutal winter at Valley Forge approached, and the situation appeared desperate. George Washington sent out communiqués to his commanders. He wrote, “We should never despair, our situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new exertions and proportion our efforts to the exigency of the times.”

We live in fearful, tumultuous times filled with forebodings of doom. It seems as though everything is coming apart. America has seen difficult times before. Some were historic days of tragedy December 07, 1941, and September 11, 2001. More extended periods are characterized by one traumatic event after another. Social, religious, and political norms imploded after decades of pressure reached a breaking point.

In 1968, it seemed America was on the verge of a collective nervous breakdown. Social unrest was rampant. Clashes erupted over cultural values, race, and the Vietnam War movement. Two men considered heroic figures by large portions of the population were tragically assassinated: Rev. Martin Luther King and Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy.

“In some ways, historians say, America nearly lost its mind and its soul. In other ways, historians argue, the nation reinvented itself and became a more-tolerant, less-constrained place, more willing to let people express their individuality and challenge authority. Overall, the upheavals of that year, both positive and negative, made it clear that once social change reaches a critical mass, it can’t be stopped” (Kenneth T. Walsh).

“It was a hinge point in history, one of the most consequential and tumultuous years in the American experience, and it changed the country forever” (Kenneth T. Walsh).

America rose above the tumult and upheaval. But it was sullied by intense cynicism regarding government and traditional institutions. Dark days lay ahead, but there was hope that the future could be brighter and better.

But now, over 50 years later, it seems like America is on a collision course with an apocalyptic destiny. Many lament that there is no path forward, the Earth itself appears to be in fatal decline, and new technologies threaten traditional industries and occupations as never before (The Washington Post).

However, the Father does not change. He remains steadfast and unmovable. He holds each of us fast in His strong right hand as we walk through times of darkness and uncertainty. He is there for us, and He will take us exactly where He wants us to go.

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

REFLECT & PRAY

“Each of us will face fear at some point; it is what we do with it that matters most. We must claim our position as God’s children. We have the power to overcome fear when we apply His Word to our lives” (Stanley).

Father, thank You for being ever-present with me, and I need not fear. Embrace me with the security and comfort that You alone can provide.

INSIGHT

Fear is an emotional foreboding or dread of impending distress, misfortune, or terror. Fear includes anxiety and loss of courage in the face of an unpleasant or dangerous situation. It frequently results in dread and terror.

“We are fragile mortals, given to fears of every sort. We have a built-in insecurity that no amount of whistling in the dark can mollify. We seek assurance concerning the things that frighten us the most” (Table Talk). Often, our greatest fears are not due to external forces. They lurk and erupt like volcanoes from the inner recesses of our beleaguered souls and wounded hearts.

The Scriptures are replete with repeated encouragement to “fear not” and “not be afraid.”

Zephaniah 3:16 Do not be afraid, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.

Every child of the King can be assured that the Father is with them. He will strengthen them in the midst of their difficulties and trials. Ultimately, their enemies will come to nothing (Gary Smith).

Isaiah 41:10-13

 10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

 13 For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’

The Hebrew language does not employ underlining or bolding to indicate the most important words or thoughts in a sentence or paragraph. Instead, Hebrew syntax uses word placement or repetition. Hence, the most important word or phrases are often repeated or placed at the beginning or the end of a sentence.

“Do not fear” is repeated and occurs at the section’s beginning and end of Isaiah 41:10-13. Because the Father is actively involved and present in the midst of difficult circumstances, they have no reason to fear. Hard times are certain, but a fearful response, although natural for people, children of the King can avoid it entirely.  “The exhortation not to fear is part of the bedrock of faith” (Friesen).

In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Fear will come calling, but the children of the King should refuse to entertain it. “Do not fear” can become the credo of every child of the King. The Father is with us and upholds us with His strong right hand. 

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The fellowship of the unashamed ∙

Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. . . With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. – 2 Timothy 1:8

Isaiah 50:4-7

 4 The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.

 5 The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.

 7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like flint, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be ashamed.

On the Jerry Seinfeld show in 1990, Jerry Seinfeld joked: “Surveys show that the number one fear of Americans is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. That means that at a funeral, the average American would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

No one questioned the survey. Because for most of us, in our hearts, we know it is true. Almost immediately, a new phrase, “Public speaking is more painful than death,” joined “Yada, Yada, Yada” in American vernacular.

How often, when seeking to share the truth of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, do we suffer spiritual laryngitis, freeze, and shrink back?

The Father in His wisdom, has a solution. The children of the King are to share a standard curriculum. Morning by morning, we are to spend quality time with the Father. This intimate association deepens our relationship with Him. It is the time of sharing, hearing, learning, and being prepared for what lies ahead. Such times sweeten the heart. Our words and actions grow out of our daily, direct interaction with the Father.

REFLECT & PRAY

If you know and feel certain that God has your back, then you can set your face like a flint. Be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Father, for you know that nothing you do for him is ever useless (1 Corinthians 15:58) (Stanley).

Father, the thought of receiving a wake-up call from you each morning thrills my heart.

INSIGHT

The Father His empowers His servants. His empowerment makes each servant courageous and determined. He has set his face like flint. He is utterly resolved to do the Father’s will. He is strong and fearless and will not shrink back or be deflected. He will not even flinch.

Isaiah 50:7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not in be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like flint, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be ashamed.

The Hebrew term translated as ashamed is bosh. It means to be characterized by feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment, disappointment, or remorse. It has overtones of being or feeling worthless.

Can you imagine the apostle Paul ever recoiling, shrinking back in weakness and fear? Was he ever reticent or at a loss for words?

1 Corinthians 2:3-5

 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,

 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Even though he had human limitations, Paul stood tall in the Spirit. He relied upon the power of the Holy Spirit and the gospel itself.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

“The Fellowship of the Unashamed” is a prayer that has inspired many to stand strong in their faith and to live unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This prayer was found among the papers of a young African pastor who was martyred in Zimbabwe some 100+ years ago.

According to Southern Nazarene University, the prayer was passed on by missionary Louise Robinson Chapman who served in Africa from 1920-1940.

As a young preacher from Zimbabwe so memorably expressed it:

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, praise, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.

My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few. My guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear! clear!

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© Dr. H 2023

I have had enough LORD

I have had enough LORD

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. – Isaiah 46:3-4

1 Kings 19:2-18

 2 Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

 3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”

 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

 7 Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

 8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

 11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

 18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

A serious illness can be overwhelming for the entire family. Hospice care was created to provide assistance. Hospice offers individualized care to patients and families in their homes. It offers patient care including symptom management, emotional support, spiritual support and psychosocial intervention.

But it is important to know that hospice is not curative but palliative. It is focused on the patient’s quality of life on their journey to end-of-life. It is for terminally ill patients who typically live less than 6 months. In 2017, hospice care patients on average lived for 76.1 days.

When it comes to spiritual, emotional, and relational problems, repair and restoration are always possible. They are not terminal. They can be mended and restored with the proper guidance, encouragement, and willingness to do the hard work to recover.

It is much like recovering from a serious accident or surgery. After medical intervention, it takes time, effort, often physical therapy to recover. But recovery is doable. For children of the King, this is possible because of His supernatural activity in repairing and rebuilding hearts and spirits.

In our day and time, many often give up hope and want to throw in the towel. They wish they were dead. So it was with Elijah. He was tired, hungry, worn out, fearful, and emotionally and physically drained. He literally ran away from his problems.

The Father nurtured him back to physical, emotional, and spiritual health. First, He sent an angel. He himself was also came and spoke directly to Elijah. Earlier He sent ravens to provide food for him (1 Kings 17:4-6).

REFLECT & PRAY

It is not over until the Father says it is over! He calls us out of the doldrums of despair.

Father how many times have I lost all hope, thrown in the towel, and literally or figuratively run away from it all. Strengthen me and encourage me to run the race You have set before me, and finish well.

INSIGHT

The Father took care of Elijah’s physical depletion. Often, but not always, physical restoration precedes spiritual restoration and service.

1 Kings 19:7-8

 7 Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

 8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

The Father refreshed Elijah’s vision in a totally unanticipated personal, calming fashion. Before He spoke, there was a rock shattering powerful wind. It was followed by a tumultuous earthquake and then a consuming fire. But the Father was not in any of these spectacular displays of His power. It is so natural to ask for and expect a dramatic sign from Him. But His ways are not our ways.

“There followed a faint whisper, a voice quiet, and hushed, and low. Elijah knew it instantly. It was God!” (EBC). It was the sound of a gentle, soft, whisper (1 Kings 19:12)

The Father knew exactly what Elijah needed, being so broken, heartsick, and hiding in a cave. He spoke with a gentle, almost silent whisper. Can you imagine what he heard? Perhaps it was only one word, repeated as necessary, “Elijah.” He was being called out of the doldrums of despair.

The still small voice could be literally translated a voice/sound of calm soft/quiet (UBS). The phrase has been rendered “a gentle whisper” (NIV, NLT), “a soft murmuring sound” (NJPSV), and “a gentle breeze” (CEV), and even “a sound of sheer silence” (NRSV) (UBS).

This phrase is translated from three Hebrew words qol demamah daq. Qol – voice, noise, sound; demamah – still, whisper, calm, silence; daq – thin, low, small, fine, soft with a sense of being quiet and soothing.

When the Father spoke, His first words were a question.

1 Kings 19:13 “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah could have said, “I am tired, frightened, and had enough; I am totally over it. I just cannot take it anymore.” But instead Elijah just complained and whined about how tough things were, but in the midst of it all he tried to remain faithful. On top of that, he felt that he was all alone.

Elijah was off-track. But the situation was not terminal and could be repaired. The Father did not entertain or comment on Elijah’s self-pity, self-justification and rationalizations. He was gentle and gracious. The Father still had work for Elijah to complete. He gave him new marching orders and specific instructions as to what to do. And most of all, He assured Elijah that he was not alone.

In order to get back on track with his spiritual life and responsibilities, he had to change his way of thinking, get over his pity party. He had to go back the way he had come and pick up where he left off.

You see all he needed was a gentle reminder of who he was and Whom he served.

1 Kings 17:1 As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand

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