What Are You Doing Here?

Matt Richards

1 Kings 19 ...And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?

Continuing from yesterdays devotion.

Elijah had been proper feeling sorry for himself. He was giving up on ministry and life and had self isolated in a cave.

'Nobody loves me everybody hates me I think I'll go and eat worms.'

God asked him to re-position and he did. Wind, earthquake, and fire subsequently happened; but God wasn't in the dramatic, but the whisper.

After the repostioning and the whisper; God spoke to him and said: "what are you doing here Elijah?"

You know I love the bible so much. And just love this. God asked him a question and a challenging one at that.

God knew his name and the answer of course, he did. Just like he came to the garden and said "Adam where are you?"

You know before you can hear the voice you have to hear the whisper. Before you hear the whisper you have step out of self-pity and position yourself past the dramatic, where you can hear God.

God wants to speak to you today. God has not finished with you. You are not finished.

You're not alone. You are not a failure. You are not the only one standing for truth. God knows you and is saying "hey what are you doing here?"

What are you doing in a place of darkness, defeat, cut off from other believers, alone, feeling sorry for yourself, and ultimately not fulfilling your destiny.

What are you doing here?

He doesn't say this to condemn you but to call you out of it. You see you don't belong in the cave, in the darkness, in isolation; you have a call.

The Lord's voice at times won't comfort you but challenge you.

You don't belong in the place you're in. You are better than that come on, go back to what your called to do in Jesus name.

He calls you by name and says: "What are you doing here?"

Prayer:

Father God forgive me for my self pity, for cutting myself off. I choose to obey You and return to what I am called to do. Speak to me today and re-direct my steps in Jesus' Amen.