ELIJAH AND THE STILL SMALL VOICE

by Ken G. Cooper

What doest thou here, Elijah?  And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.   
                                                                                                               1 Kings  19:9-12 What 

My life in danger, to this cave I have fled
My God has provided and given me bread;
For foes seek my life to take it away,
So, scared to go out, and affrightened, I stay.

“What doest thou here, Elijah?” rings in thought 
“Is this hiding what service to God has now brought?”
But the enemy’s strong, too strong for just me:
“Go forth and stand forward: My message you’ll see!”


A great and strong wind gusts with power and might; 
It blows down huge rocks from their mountainous height.
They crash to the ground, and their impact is clear,
But deep down I know that  the Lord is not there.


An earthquake shatters  the  rocks all around
And chasms appear in the trembling ground. 
The power is awesome as I stand and stare,
But the message remains: the Lord is not there.


A fire bursts forth, and with flame the land lit:  
The landscape burns bright,  and rocks blister and split.
There seems no escape  from this heat everywhere, 
But once more this knowledge: the Lord is not there.

A strange calm replaces the forces that raged:
An infinite stillness that time never aged.
My fears fall away, for a voice sure yet small
Says clearly within me. “Fear not.  I am All”.

Let quietness and stillness be my assured choice
For in gentle listening I clear-hear God’s voice:
No matter what challenge attacks and alarms
I know now this pure truth that simply affirms:

“I am infinite Love, omnipotent All,
I hold you secure: and you never can fall.
The tender touch of My infinite power
Is always besides you. I'm with you each hour.”

There’s no need to struggle against fearful odds,
My God has the power, not  these so-called gods:
I have new conviction of what I now see:
In quiet dominion,  this Truth sets us  free.

©Ken G Cooper 2013/17