Morning Meditation

 

What new insight arrived in your awareness yesterday as you paid attention to the stories you told yourself?  What new ideas are percolating?  Did you see some seeds of God’s presence trying to sink into your soul?  What is still perplexing you about why you tell the stories you tell? 

 

How can we be more open to God, the gardener, of our soul?  There is an ancient story about a prophet named Elijah.  Elijah lived in a time when the King and Queen were leading the people astray from the relationship with God.  Imagine a world where the leaders don’t act in the best interest of the people!  I sense that wasn’t too difficult given the headlines today.  There is a story in 1 Kings 18-19, about Elijah facing down priests who worshipped the god of Baal, which was the religion of the Queen of Israel at that time.  Notice that religious tension and differences is a tale as old as time.  Elijah wins by having God bring fire before Baal even sends a spark.  You would think Elijah would be elated, rather he is afraid because the Queen is not happy, so she puts a price on Elijah’s head.  So, Elijah runs away so fast he leaves skid marks in the sand to get out of Dodge and flees to the wilderness for safety and shelter out of fear. 

 

There is a story Elijah is telling himself here.

 

Out in the wilderness, Elijah takes shelter under a tree where an angel makes him breakfast.  Elijah goes and hides in a cave.  Elijah tells himself, “It would be better if I was dead.”  Notice the tension?  God provide, Elijah pouts.  God offers nourishment, Elijah only sees the broken and bad.

 

There is a story Elijah is telling himself here!

 

Then, the ancient writers say this, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.” A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.  When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, “So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?” (1 Kings 19:11-13).  Feel free to go read the entire story.  It’s okay.  I’ll wait.

 

A quiet voice is how God speaks and sings.  Or your Bible might have the translation, “A still small voice”.  Amid the cacophony and chaos and constant 24-hour-news-cycle and dinging of our phones with “alerts”…the still small voice of the Sacred.  Not in the whirlwind of worries, but in the question, “What are you doing here?”

 

That’s a holy question.  How would you answer, “What are you doing here?  You can answer that question with all that is filling your calendar, all that you are catching in the net of your life, all that is filling your days.  Or you can answer, “What are you doing here,” on a deeper level.  For example, I am trying to live from a grounded place of grace and let the light of love shine through. I am seeking to practice laughter’s healing art with as many people as I can.  I am seeking to live from a place where life is an adventure…like all adventures there will be unexpected exit ramps and people will say things that hurt…but there is also a generous and gracious and generative God that is at work in the world too. 

 

What are you doing here?  You have a response to that which is impacting the story you tell yourself.  And God is seeking to help co-author your response to that question.  May you today take time to listen, lean in, and learn from the One who comes with a still small voice today.  Amen.