昨天我们思想了以利亚的辉煌成就，可是，这件事发生后不久，以利亚便逃到旷野，来躲避敌人的追杀。他感到精疲力竭，他极其绝望以至于求死了结。
接着耶和华便向以利亚显现。神奇妙地施展祂控制大自然的能力：烈风大作、地震、和火，这个情景，就好像是先前决斗时从天上戏剧性地降火那件事的回响（列王纪上 18:30-39）。
在上古时代，风、火、和地震，通常被视为神显现的记号，所以，神选择这些记号来显露自已，是合情合理的。不过，神在这里表明，祂不在风中、不在火中、也不在地震中，神乃是以微小的声音对以利亚说话。因此，以利亚在一片宁静中透过温柔微小的声音经历到神的同在。以利亚便蒙上脸，因为他知道全能的神就在他面前。
藉着这个慈爱的方式，神同样有力地表明，这位以温柔微小的声音说话的神，就是同一位能够崩山碎石和战胜邪恶的神。当祂问：“你在这里做什么？”时，说明祂准备继续将祂的国度带到这个世界，同时衪呼召我们在这件事上与祂同工。
创造万有的神，祢在我们中间不断运行；藉着祢的灵，你满有能力的与我们同在。求祢使我们听到祢温柔微小的声音，使我们每天确信祢的旨意。阿们。
列王纪上 19:9-18
9 他在那里进了一个洞，就住在洞中。耶和华的话临到他说：“以利亚啊，你在这里做什么？”
10 他说：“我为耶和华万军之神大发热心。因为以色列人背弃了你的约，毁坏了你的坛，用刀杀了你的先知，只剩下我一个人，他们还要寻索我的命。”
11 耶和华说：“你出来站在山上，在我面前。”那时耶和华从那里经过，在他面前有烈风大作，崩山碎石，耶和华却不在风中；风后地震，耶和华却不在其中；
12 地震后有火，耶和华也不在火中；火后有微小的声音。
13 以利亚听见，就用外衣蒙上脸，出来站在洞口。有声音向他说：“以利亚啊，你在这里做什么？”
14 他说：“我为耶和华万军之神大发热心。因为以色列人背弃了你的约，毁坏了你的坛，用刀杀了你的先知，只剩下我一个人，他们还要寻索我的命。”
15 耶和华对他说：“你回去，从旷野往大马士革去。到了那里，就要膏哈薛做亚兰王，
16 又膏宁示的孙子耶户做以色列王，并膏亚伯米何拉人沙法的儿子以利沙做先知接续你。
17 将来躲避哈薛之刀的，必被耶户所杀；躲避耶户之刀的，必被以利沙所杀。
18 但我在以色列人中为自己留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的，未曾与巴力亲嘴的。”
"A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD." - 1 Kings 19:11
Soon after Elijah’s great success that we reflected on yesterday, Elijah escapes to the wilderness to avoid being hunted down by his enemies. He is exhausted and so discouraged that he wants to die.
Then the Lord appears to Elijah. God gives some amazing demonstrations of his power over nature: a great and powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire. It’s like an echo of the showdown that brought dramatic fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:30-39).
Wind, fire, and earthquakes were all recognized as signs of divine revelation in ancient times, so it makes sense that God chose to reveal himself in connection with those things. But God shows here that he is not in the wind, or the fire, or the earthquake itself. Instead, God speaks to Elijah in a gentle whisper. So Elijah experiences the presence of God by means of a gentle, whispering voice in the midst of silence. And Elijah covers his face, knowing he is in the presence of almighty God.
In this tender way God shows just as powerfully that the Lord who speaks gently with a whisper is the same God who can tear mountains apart and break down evil. And when he asks, “What are you doing here?” he shows that he has plans to keep bringing his kingdom into this world, and he calls us to work on this with him.
God of all creation, you keep working in our midst, and by your Spirit you are powerfully present in our lives. Move us to hear your voice, your gentle whispering, and assure us of your purposes each day. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
