Busyness: Get Quiet

He said, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.'

(God's Revelation to Elijah)

Then He said, 'Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the 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; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small Voice.

So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a Voice came to him, and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'

And he said, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.'

1 Kings 19:10-14 (NKJV)

Elijah was a wonderful prophet. He called the false prophets of King Ahab to a great cook-off. Both sides laid meat on wood, but without fire. (It was 850 to One!)

The challenge? Elijah said:

'You call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the Name of the Lord; and the God Who answers by fire, He is God' (1 Kings 18:24).

Our God cooked BIG-TIME. Their gods fizzled out.

'Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!' ' (v.39).

As the God-ordained contest continues, Elijah destroyed every false prophet. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel saw it and vowed revenge.

In his understandable exhaustion, Elijah's triumph turned into terror. He fled and asked the Lord to take his life. 40 days later, the Lord spoke to him--in 'A still small Voice.' 

God comforted His dejected prophet and assured him that he was not alone. He gave him a student and assistant, Elisha, who would become his successor.

Here's the thing: Our world today is filled with false prophets and idol worship… many more than in ancient Israel.

Our response? Christians still fight the good fight. Like Elijah, we can get exhausted. Even good busyness can deplete us. So we must get alone and get quiet… to get God: to hear God and receive help.

'When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father Who is in the secret place' (Matthew 6:6).

BUT… Satan has waged a noise campaign, and well we know it. 

So Jesus has waged a counter-campaign. Therein, we must know it (and Him)… BETTER! How? Go into a quiet place and listen. He'll lead us step-by-step through depression to a personal plan of renewal.

Busyness: Get Quiet (Part 7)

NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.