Elijah, God, and the Whisper
A reflection on 1 Kings 19:11-18
Notice that Elijah hears the imperative “Go” not only before but also after he encounters the Lord.
The Biblical message could not be clearer - we are built for spiritual adventure.
Elijah is first led out of a cave which is reflective of our limited worldview and finite capabilities. A true, authentic encounter with the Lord always leads us out of ourselves.
Interestingly enough, the powerful wind, earthquake, and fire do not lead Elijah out of the cave. Yet, a gentle whisper does.
This passage also reminds us where the Lord is not to be found. The Lord is not present in the powerful wind which tore mountains apart and shattered rocks. This is reflective of new-age spiritual movements that look back on history by smashing it with pessimism and, unfortunately, tearing tradition apart in the process.
The wind, of course, is also invisible. It doesn’t have visible structures but is rather like an energy, a feeling. The wind, which comes and goes as it wills, is reflective of a subjective spirituality built upon mere feeling. A new age, subjective spirituality is not where the Lord is to be found.
Next, Elijah is confronted with an earthquake. Often, one will find on bookshelves a new, earth-shattering, and ground-breaking spiritual book with messages such as “How I found God” or “A Self-discovery Approach to Spirituality.” There is nothing new or earth-shattering about these stories. The earth-shattering discovery of one’s effort is not where the Lord is to be found. In fact, they are repugnant to the Biblical narrative.
The Bible is incredibly clear concerning an encounter with God - He finds us, His grace breaks into our lives, and not vice-versa.
Then, Elijah encounters a fire which represents the bright, flashy spiritual movements that bring an immediate sense of warmth and glow. Yet, they dissipate quickly without fuel. This immediate glow and shine provides a false sense of spirituality. The flashiness is not reflective of the source but rather of the glowing reflection of one’s ego. As quickly as it heats up, it cools down. It is not able to handle the seasons of life. The fiery spirituality is bright and flashy but it is not where the Lord is to be found.
A gentle whisper then came to Elijah. Someone personal, direct, and authentic was speaking to him. Unlike the powerful wind, earthquake, and fire, the gentle whisper moved Elijah and stirred his heart. Elijah covers his face with his cloak indicating that it’s not about himself and that he is in sheer awe of this encounter.
Even better, only now does he exit the cave.
The Biblical message could not be clearer: the wind, earthquake, and fire could not bring Elijah out of his ego yet a gentle whisper could.
The gentle whisper moved Elijah outside of himself and into broad daylight before the Lord. Afterwards, the Lord sends Elijah on mission.
An authentic spirituality is built upon grace. This means that God breaks into our world on His terms. We listen to Him gently, quietly, and consistently. He directs us out of our selfishness and broadens our capacity to love. Then, He sends us on mission.
+ Fr. Ben Daghir
I truly enjoy reading your posts. I also enjoy reading the daily meditation booklets. But I haven’t seen them since Lent. It would be great if we could have them put out again. April is almost over and I have missed those readings.