Lent Day 12--March 6, 2012

Lenten Reflection for Day 12

Date: March 6

Author: Elaine Day

Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19:11–12 (NRSV)

¹¹ He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces 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; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.

Reflection:

This passage is about God and Elijah. Fearing that King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, would have him killed, the prophet Elijah fled to Beersheba. He wandered in the wilderness and then sat down and prayed that the Lord would take his life. An angel came to Elijah and provided him with food and drink so that he would have the strength to journey forty days to Sinai, God’s holy mountain. At this low point in Elijah’s life, God told him to stand on the mountain and wait for the Lord to pass by. I’m sure that when there was a furious wind, Elijah must have thought that God was then passing by. However, God did not pass by in the wind, or in the earthquake, or in the fire. God did not pass by in any of these grandiose events. Rather God came in the sound of silence.

It seems to me that when I am at a low point and need God, I want to be alone, away from everyone and all the hustle and bustle of life. The words of these verses make me realize, that it is at those very times that God is with me, speaking to me. I just need to listen.

Prayer:

Lord, God, please be with us when we need you most. Come to us in the silence and help us see these times as opportunities to communicate with you.