Cave of Whispers — JC's Village

Also known as Elijah’s cave. (you can read all about this passage in 1 Kings 19)

So often we don’t hear one another because we don’t even listen to ourselves. Sometimes we don’t just have ourselves and those coincidentally around us on “ignore”, but we have our closest loved ones on ignore - and even God on ignore.

Elijah - as a prophet of God - was someone whose whole calling was to hear what God was telling him. Sometimes even he needed help though. So in this account - Elijah, worn down and literally running for his life, hides out in a cave on Mount Horeb. While he’s there - God tells him to go to the mouth of the cave because the Lord Himself is going to pass by.

A gale force wind hurled by breaking up the rocks - but that was not the Lord.

An earthquake shook the mountains - but that was not the Lord.

A fire scorched all that was left - but that was not the Lord.

and then a gentle blowing came - and Elijah covered his face, because he knew this was the Lord.

And what did the Lord say to Elijah?

“What are you doing here?”

Did God not know what Elijah was going through?

The Lord was not asking Elijah for information - He was giving Elijah His ear. He was inviting Elijah to unburden his soul before the Lord.

How often do we long to be heard - but no one will just listen. Or how often does our heart ache to help someone we love - but we struggle to not gush with advice and solutions?

So often - we imagine that going to God to unburden our souls will be calamitous - stormy - or tumultuous. And yet - this is God as we imagine Him. So often - it’s not the “acts of God” that God uses to get our attention. It’s His whispers. He is our Shepherd, not our cattle driver. He isn’t the God who screams in our ear. He’s the God who whispers into our hearts.

This is another thing altogether to listen for though isn’t it. We have to still ourselves. We have to humble ourselves. We have to go to the mouth of the cave and answer His question, “Why are you here?”

Whether you have one minute or one hundred - I pray you take all of what you have to go to Him with all you feel on your heart - and allow yourself some time of being heard and hearing Him. Go for a drive. Go for a walk. Go sit in the tub and soak. Or take a long shower. Lay on the floor with your pet - or just a good pillow. Regardless - lay your burdens down as you share your heart and then let Him carry you and what you carry.