“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.”
(1 Kgs. 19:11–12 NKJV)
The more mature I grow in age, the more I also grow in appreciation for the simpler, straight-forward, peaceful things in life. It’s not that I no longer enjoy excitement. I do, indeed. I have just come to realize that I do not need to have continual excitement in order to find contentment or happiness. Like a well-placed seasoning, the sparks of elation and thrill make life all the more enjoyable. However, as the Greek philosopher, Epicuras, once noted, “Too much of a good thing is bad” (paraphrased). Overkill on any seasoning, no matter how beneficial it tastes, will make the meal a failure.
This holds true, not only as a general principle with our lives, but applicable in worship and in our connecting with the Lord. Note the experience that Elijah had with God at the cave at Horeb, “the mountain of God” (rf. I Kgs. 19:8). After being called there, Elijah pleads his case as to why he is the last of God’s servants in Israel and his enemies “seek to take(his) life” (vs. 10). It is in God’s response to Elijah’s complaints where it gets interesting.
In three displays of natural power (wind, earthquake and fire) which wreaked havoc in the area before Elijah’s cave, obviously grasping Elijah’s attention, the Scripture states clearly, “but the Lord was not in(these events)”. Let’s stop there for a moment.
We typically assume by what we have been taught by our culture and societal upbringing that “bigger is better”. Therefore, the greater the effect, the more attention is grasped, the better and more effective will be the result. We see it in advertising all the time. For some reason, we assume that what is a good modus operandiin the world will likewise be blessed if we use it in worship and in applying it in church circles. This is where we can fail and do so miserably, namely because we missed the last phrase in the narrative of Elijah’s experience, “but the Lord was not in (these events)”. Not matter how big, brash, loud or well-planned the event or worship service may be, if the Lord is not in it, the event becomes irrelevant or, as the Psalmist states, “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (rf. Ps. 127:1). Attention-getting is not the point at all; the Lord’s presence is all important.
Secondly, when He does show up, it will not be with bells and whistles. It will be with an overwhelming sense of peace and quietness that brings silence to the soul and stillness to the mind. Rather than busyness, raucousness and chaos (of which we have become all too accustomed), He brings in a sense of order and with it calmness of spirit to let the recipient know that He is near. It is then that we can hear in our hearts His “still small voice”, whether this is in worship or in our own personal relationships with Him.
We should remember that the God of Scripture does not require flashy intros or gaudy and extravagant antics for Him to get the attention of His people. He is already all-powerful, all-knowing, righteous, sovereign, and holy. He has chosen to enter into our busy and chaotic lives with the power of quietness. It is here that He means for us to worship and engage Him. If we will “be still and know that He is God” (rf. Ps. 46:10), we will find a treasure trove in both our worship and, especially, a new facet of relationship with our Lord.
