What are you doing here?

There will come a time or maybe you're already in it when you will forget. You will forget or have forgotten everything God has done for you and some real or imagined danger will have you running. You may think I am talking nonsense. After all you're God's beloved, He would never allow you to end up in such a place. He is your shield and your salvation, you are protected and favored. After all, maybe those that end up in such a place have clearly lost their faith or don't know the Scriptures, but that's not you.

Be that as it may, it happens to everybody. It happened to Abraham when he went to Egypt because he was afraid of the famine in the land. It happened to Isaac in the same way. It happened to Jacob when he ran from his brother's wrath. It happened to Joseph, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, David, etc.

My favorite running incident occurs in the life of Elijah. He is God's chosen prophet. He has seen God work more miracles than he can count. He has seen His power and His glory. Yet when Jezebel, aka crazy lady, threatens to have him killed, Elijah takes to heels like a good believer. (1 Kings 19) He runs into the wilderness so distraught that he says, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” Gone is the memory of everything God has done. He's depressed. He's upset. He is confused and scared. An angel comes and urges him to eat and keep on going. After a second nudging Elijah keeps on going through the wilderness to reach God's mountain, Horeb. He finds a cave, he goes in it and there God finds him and asks him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' Elijah informs God about his dire situation because why else would God ask him unless He didn't know. God tells Elijah to go stand on the mountain. Elijah's still in the cave. And a great wind comes and and breaks apart the mountain before the Lord, but God is not in the wind. Elijah's not coming out. After the wind, an earthquake and a fire, but The Lord's not in either. After the fire the sound of a low whisper and Elijah's intrigued. He covers his face with his cloak and goes at the cave's entrance. God whispers again, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' God's prophet tells his story a second time and God tells him to go back through the wilderness and lays out His plan for the current situation.

What are you doing here? Why are you in this place? Have I suddenly become so small in your eyes that whatever scared you away looms over you? What are you doing in this place of despair? What are you doing in this wilderness? Days before, you called fire out of heaven and it came at your word. It rained at your word and it stopped raining at your word, what are you doing here? Have you allowed Jezebel to grow so large in your mind that her words pierce your heart faster than Mine? Why are you here? A scared child impressed with silly tricks? You want tricks? Look at the wind tearing up a mountain! Look at the ground beneath your feet shaking! Look at the fire! Is it tricks that sway you? --Whisper: What are you doing here?

It happens to everybody. But if there's any truth planted in you, after you run and hide in the cave, you'll remind yourself who God is and return to where you have to be. After all, this is not where you're supposed to be. Get up and go back. 

by Cristina Pop