This week’s Advent theme: Hearing God in the Silence
Today’s scripture: 1 Kings 19:8-18 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Vivian Wyatt):
I’ve been in that place where Elijah found himself: troubled and alone, no one to turn to, no one who cared that I was hurting. In the early 90s, I knew I had to leave my husband and I knew I had to file for divorce. Neither of my brothers or my sister had divorced; no aunts, uncles, or cousins. This was uncharted territory for my family. I could not talk to my mother because we didn’t have that kind of relationship and I couldn’t talk to my sister because I felt that she wouldn’t understand. And my brothers and father. . . well, they were men, and enough said. I felt as if I were the only person in the world who had ever divorced and that I was so very much alone. So, like Elijah, I ran away.
Running away is a tactic that is usually used when one feels there is nothing else left to do. The pressure of dealing with one problem after another says “Get away, or die!” At least that’s what it feels like. Sometimes, time alone is exactly what we need to hear from God. You can’t hear what God might be saying when you’re continuously arguing (the wind) or slamming doors (earthquake) or in a constant state of agitation and turmoil (fire).
Elijah ran to a cave in Horeb. I ran to a hotel in Ocean City. It was there, alone and forlorn, that I heard what I needed to do. I woke up, ate, drank, and called my mom. She asked me where I was and when I replied Ocean City she said “What are you doing there, come on home.” I told her that I would be bringing my cats with me; she hesitated for about five seconds and then said “Come on.” That’s when I knew, that in spite of everything we had been through, she loved me. You see, she hated cats.
God assured Elijah that he was not alone — there were 7,000 people in Israel who were on his side. And God assured me, through my mom, that I was not alone either, that my family stood with me. That’s what Elijah and I both needed to hear, that there were others who were on our side. We were so deep in our pain that we could not see that we were not alone. We had to sit with the silence, away from all distractions, to hear.
Thought for the day: What is keeping you from hearing from God? Can you find a quiet place, so you can hear?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.
