Come out here!!!!

It is a crushing experience to give your very best and still fall short. Elijah had been discouraged in his efforts to rid Israel of Jezebel. He ran for cover. He had lost hope and  scripture tell us; “hope deffered makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12).Much of Elijah’s discouragement came from the false expectations he had placed upon himself. Elijah lodged in or hung out in the cave at Horeb. I think it is similiar to the cave of self-pity. This cave can trap us in loneliness and pain.It is from this cave that the Lord would ask Elijah, “What are you doing here?” Calling Elijah out... have you ever been “called out?”“Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord, And behold, the Lord was passing by! and a great a strong wind was rending the mountians and breaking in pieces rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was in the wind. And after the wind and 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 sound of a gentle blowing.” 1 Kings 19:11-12 The Lord will liberate us from the caves of our previous experiences in order to show us the future purposes of our lives. His liberation is always the gentle process of His self revelation. He woos us out of our fears in order  that we might experience His gentle presence. Our hope is restored in this gentle embrace. Our faith comes from the knowledge of His love for us rather than a demonstration of His awesome power.Many of us today are standing at the mouth of a cave. Conscious of the perceived safety of the cave and yet we are drawn forward by the sound of His voice. The voice that created the world and that encourages us that He will be with us always.Our “stronghold, shelter, fortress” is not found in a hole in the mountain, but rather under His wing, at His side, and in the shadow of the Almighty.Elijah could come out of hiding and continue his ministry because He had come to understand who was with Him. He had rediscovered his first love. He was born to abide in the Presence of the Lord.