One of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament was Elijah…as well as one of the most colorful and outspoken men of Biblical history. But when Elijah fled for his life from Queen Jezebel, he found himself holed up, hiding in a cave…dejected and in despair…until God lifted him up and sent him back to serve. That’s why God’s poignant question was so important. God knew why Elijah was there, but He wanted him to reflect on the reason that put him there. Elijah had allowed depression, and loss of confidence & hope to take over his life. So there he sat…hiding in a cave…discouraged, depressed, and self-isolating in the darkness. There’ll be times in our own lives when God will ask the same rhetorical question of us…”What are you doing here?” That’s because He wants us to reflect on what got us to this point in the first place, what we’re running from, and to finally acknowledge all our struggles, doubts, and fears. Remembering all the while, to listen carefully to that still small voice that says, “Follow Me and get out of this cave.”
Month: November 2025
II Samuel 24:24 ” But the King replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ “
II Samuel 24:18-25 describes King David’s repentance for his sin of pride in conducting a census that was not directed by God. Thus he is told to, “Build an altar to the Lord.” on the land where the future Temple would be built. As King David stands on the threshing floor, the owner, Araunah, not only offers to give him the land, but oxen, and even the fire wood needed to make a proper sacrifice. But David knew that worshiping God could not be careless, cheap, or painless…for God deserves the very best. (Malachi 1:13-14) He also knew that repentance and the seeking of forgiveness must be sincere, humble, and full of contrition…not just some easy fix.
I John 4:19 ” We love because He first loved us.”
God first loved us…He loved us at our worst…and He loved us when we were unlovable. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Just think of it…Jesus died specifically for us – achieving the reconciliation to God we were unable to obtain on our own. God loved us first by sending Jesus to satisfy the demands of His justice. Thus by taking our place, Jesus fulfilled God’s love for us as an atoning sacrifice. And so since God first loved us, we are now able to replace our selfish love for His.
Psalm 27:3 ” Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.”
In this Psalm, King David is describing an enemy encampment set up around him and his men. But instead of focusing on the overwhelming threat, he displays peace and courage…a bold and hopeful confidence in spite of what he sees. “I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.” (Psalm 3:6) Now, we may not have a physical army besieging us today, but it can certainly feel that way. So we need to follow David’s example of turning fear into faith…pain into purpose…and conflict into confidence…always remembering that God preserves the righteous. (Job 4:6-11)
II Corinthians 1:5 ” For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
Misfortune, adversity, and sorrow will be part of our lives…whether we profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior or not. But what we can do is look at our sufferings through enlightened eyes… that by sharing in Christ’s suffering it becomes a pathway to sharing in His glory. (Philippians 3:10 & Romans 8:17) Besides, the Church is called to suffer for and with Christ. (II Corinthians 4:7-12 & I Thessalonians 3:2-4) Colossians 1:24 reminds us that we are divinely required to endure suffering as we carry the Good News of the Gospel Message to the world. So ultimately, it will be our decision if we suffer well or are miserable all the time.
Psalm 97:4 ” His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.”
Psalm 97 describes when the Lord will return and reign over the earth. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s manifested Presence was in storms. Job 36:30 tells of God’s majestic display of power as He controls the forces of nature. In Psalm 18:7 and 104:32 it tells us that everything we take as unmovable ( mountains symbolizing what is firm and established) can in a blink of a eye be changed by God’s mere glance. For nothing on earth is a match before the mighty power of God.
Zechariah 4:10 ” Who despises the day of small things?’
The people of Judah couldn’t help but be discouraged with the meager progress of rebuilding the Temple. Zerubbabel, governor of Jerusalem, along with a ragtag group of exiles had returned from Babylon to start the rebuilding…but it was slow going…and everyone was demoralized. So God first spoke to Zerubbabel, showing him that his sufficiency must rest in God and not in his finite and limited human abilities. “It’s not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6) In addition, God reassured Zerubbabel that he would not only complete laying the Temple foundation, but finish it. (Zechariah 4:9) God then reminds the people that they could not judge His work by human standards, for even though it may look like insignificant progress,(small things) the real power to complete this monumental task would come from Him and no one else.
Proverbs 11:3 ” The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”
Integrity is a learned behavior. It’s about making morally good decisions, even when no one is watching. Integrity starts with a right relationship with God as you allow Him to lead you on the good and wise path of life. However, when you choose a lifestyle of dishonesty, deception, and false intentions, you’ll find that it only leads to a ruined life and devastation.
Jeremiah 36:1-2 ” In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now.’ “
In order to encourage the people towards repentance, Jeremiah was directed by God to write down more than 20 years of prophesy he had been given. But when Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, read it out loud to king Jehoiakim…rather than tearing his clothes in repentance….the king burned the scroll piece by piece in a shocking display of defiance, and total rejection of God’s Word. But undeterred, the Lord demanded Jeremiah to rewrite it…for His Word could not be invalidated by the destruction of a mere scroll…neither could it be silenced or erased by one man. That’s because God’s Word will ultimately prevail… regardless of human opposition… as it accomplishes His sovereign plan and purpose.
Luke 11:35 ” See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”
In this teaching of Jesus,(Luke 11:33-36) He was speaking of the light within us as the lamp of our soul…harkening back to Psalm 18:28 which says, ” You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” When we’re filled with His light, our soul will be filled with wisdom and happiness. So it should be our focus to seek out the “light” of spiritual perception. It says that our eyes are the window to our soul…radiating God’s light…and a mirror of God’s goodness & grace. This inner light then, becomes a beacon shining in the darkness…guiding others towards Him.
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