There is a passage in the books of the Kings where the prophet Elijah, depressed and running for his life, has retreated to a cave. His intent is to flee from the wicked queen Jezebel, but he discovers that he cannot, in fact, flee from God.
God finds Elijah in the cave . . . but not in the expected fashion.
There is fire, but God is not in the fire. There is wind, but God is not in the wind. And at last there is stillness . . . and God is there.
I think of this stillness whenever I ponder natural disasters like the tornadoes in Oklahoma City where, it always seems, people want to make theological pronouncements about the tornadoes being "the finger of God" or "God's will" or even "God's punishment".
And yet, if we take a lesson from Elijah, we will not find God in the wind, but in the stillness following . . . and especially in the helpfulness of the church, the acts of compassion, and the peace that follows acts of charity and embrace.
Regardless of the weather, God is with us. Or, as the apostle Paul once noted, nothing in heaven or earth can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
Weather changes. But the grace of God does not.
God finds Elijah in the cave . . . but not in the expected fashion.
There is fire, but God is not in the fire. There is wind, but God is not in the wind. And at last there is stillness . . . and God is there.
I think of this stillness whenever I ponder natural disasters like the tornadoes in Oklahoma City where, it always seems, people want to make theological pronouncements about the tornadoes being "the finger of God" or "God's will" or even "God's punishment".
And yet, if we take a lesson from Elijah, we will not find God in the wind, but in the stillness following . . . and especially in the helpfulness of the church, the acts of compassion, and the peace that follows acts of charity and embrace.
Regardless of the weather, God is with us. Or, as the apostle Paul once noted, nothing in heaven or earth can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
Weather changes. But the grace of God does not.
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