11 … At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. 13 When Elijah heard [it], he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. 1 Kings 19:11-13 HCSB
Much has been said on this passage about listening to God. We love to equate God’s voice to us as huge, loud, monumental, etc. when in fact He usually speaks to us in a still, small voice. We have to learn to hear God’s voice. A new Christian stuggles with this, because it is not something he or she is familiar with – listening to God. So we have to learn to do so.
Elijah had just fasted for 40 days, during which time he made a very arduous journey. He went into the cave and waited for God’s voice. The great and mighty wind blew, but God was not in the wind. Elijah knew this. The earthquake shook, but God was not in the earthquake. Elijah knew this also. The fire raged, but God was not in the fire. Elijah also knew this. When the soft whisper came, Elijah recognized God’s Voice, and we out of the cave to listen to Him.
The lesson here is that there are many voices coming our way, through our life. Our job is to get to know the Lord so well that we cannot mistake any one of these voices for His Voice! We must learn to listen and be able to discern our Master’s Voice, so that we follow the correct path and not get led astray.
