A still, small voice
Let us meditate on I Kings 19: 11 to 13. In this passage concerning the manifestation of God’s glory before Elijah, we find that the Lord was not in a great and strong wind that rent the mountain and broke in pieces the rocks before Him. Elijah did obey the Lord’s commandment by making himself available on the mount. The Lord did pass by the great and terrible wind. No doubt, it was a spectacular manifestation of His power. But His glory was not there. No doubt, the Lord did manifest His glory by the wind but His glory did not stay in the wind.
Secondly, an earthquake manifested His great power. But He was not in the earthquake also. Thirdly, a raging fire also manifested His great power but He was not there in the fire also. And after the fire, there was a still, small voice. God spoke to Elijah through that still, small voice. When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. “And behold there came voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah.
Though the Lord did manifest His glory or His presence in the passing wind, in the passing earthquake and in the passing fire, His glory did not rest in any of these spectacular manifestations of His great power. His glory did rest on a still, small voice. When the prophet hid his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave in which he was shut, he heard His voice.
These days, we spend a lot of money, energy and resources in arranging very big crusades or in erecting towering buildings to manifest His glory. We move the heaven and the earth by all kinds of self-advertisements. Many preachers make very big billboards showing themselves in photos of preaching to multitudes, using the words “Miracle Ministries”, “Power Ministries”, “Fire ministries”, etc. Thousands or millions all over the world attend such meetings. No doubt, some miracles take place. Some people confess their sins and accept the Lord. Some people get healed and throw away their wheel chairs. No doubt, the Lord does pass through the wind, the earthquake and the fire. But His presence is not in all these manifestations of His power. He does honor our prayers and manifests His presence in spectacular ways. But His presence does not stay permanently in such manifestations. We cannot expect Him to manifest His glory in similar spectacular ways for ever. We should not take it for granted that God’s glory is manifested through great gushing wind, great earth quaking or raging fire like power.
His glory is manifested always through His word expressed through a still, small voice which we ignore. It is not from the pulpit of a world famous evangelist or from the television channel of an evangelist who has fans of millions of people all over the world but from an ordinary, common place man like John the Baptist, we hear His voice. His voice is not accompanied by any spectacular miracle to be seen by the multitudes. His voice is not attested by any sign or wonder. His voice is not attested by melodious songs of any popular or special church choir. But it is a still, small voice which can be understood by a simple, illiterate person on the street. Do we heed to such a still, small voice that emanates from the wilderness?
His still, small voice is not from a book authored by some wonderful author that is being read by the millions all over the world. It comes from a person who is not known. It comes from a place which is not known.
The other day I had to watch a Tamil Christian channel in which a servant of God calling himself “Prophet.X” leading the people of God in a worship service. The people of God shouted and worshiped God through his ministry. But the still, small voice of the Lord was glaringly missing.
The great prophet had to cover his face with a mantle to hear His voice. The Seraphim that ministered to the Lord of hosts in the prophetic vision of Isaiah had to cover his face with two wings and had no name or tile attached to him. But they manifested the glory of God and they were seated in a place above His throne. Do you decrease before Him or increase before Him during your ministry? If you increase in your stature, people cannot hear the still, small voice of the Lord. Maybe, His power is manifested through your ministry in a spectacular way. But His presence in your ministry is gone for ever because you have appropriated His glory for yourself and have not disappeared in the wilderness. You may be thinking that His presence is with your ministry because of the signs and wonders that take place through your ministry.
The presence of the Lord is interwoven with His still, small voice. But His presence may be manifested in spectacular ways only on occasions but not for ever.
The still, small voice is not a long sermon from the church pulpit or from the evangelical dais. It comes from the mouth of a person who has surrendered his life completely to God through his crucified life and who lives the very life of Christ. It is not attested by oratory or by wisdom of men. But it changes your very life. It shows you the right direction in your ministry. It gravitates you to Christ and not to any man.
“What are you doing here, Elijah?” is the message of God for you today. Elijah is a prophetic sign for you. You are supposed to do what the Lord wants you to. You may be spending hours in the internet but spending less time in prayers and in meditating on His word. You may be doing a ministry which is not according to God’s call in your life. You may be doing some unethical business . You might have backslid and gone away from the Lord, doing things that are not pleasing the Lord.
by Job Anbalagan