1 00:00:10,210 --> 00:00:14,490 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a calming, 2 00:00:14,770 --> 00:00:19,430 Speaker 1: scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end each day 3 00:00:19,850 --> 00:00:22,550 Speaker 1: with God's Word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:24,660 --> 00:00:27,900 Speaker 1: Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll reflect 5 00:00:27,980 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: on tonight's scripture and 1 Kings chapter 19. Tonight's scripture 6 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: reflection is written by Amanda Eidelman and read by Leah Gerard. 7 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: 1 Kings chapter 19. Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah 8 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: had done and how he had killed all the prophets 9 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah 10 00:01:03,190 --> 00:01:06,790 Speaker 1: to say, May the gods deal with me, be it 11 00:01:06,870 --> 00:01:10,669 Speaker 1: ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do 12 00:01:10,709 --> 00:01:13,610 Speaker 1: not make your life like that of one of them. 13 00:01:15,130 --> 00:01:19,350 Speaker 1: Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he 14 00:01:19,390 --> 00:01:22,860 Speaker 1: came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there 15 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. 16 00:01:27,980 --> 00:01:30,789 Speaker 1: He came to a broom bush, sat down under it, 17 00:01:30,860 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: and prayed that he might die. I have had enough, Lord, 18 00:01:35,550 --> 00:01:39,310 Speaker 1: he said. Take my life. I am no better than 19 00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:43,289 Speaker 1: my ancestors. Then he lay down under the bush and 20 00:01:43,350 --> 00:01:47,650 Speaker 1: fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, 21 00:01:48,300 --> 00:01:52,540 Speaker 1: Get up and eat. He looked around, and there by 22 00:01:52,580 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: his head was some bread baked over hot coals and 23 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,670 Speaker 1: a jar of water. He ate and drank and then 24 00:01:59,730 --> 00:02:03,650 Speaker 1: lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back 25 00:02:03,690 --> 00:02:06,950 Speaker 1: a second time and touched him and said, Get up 26 00:02:07,010 --> 00:02:09,620 Speaker 1: and eat, for the journey is too much for you. 27 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,459 Speaker 1: So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by 28 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:19,140 Speaker 1: that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until 29 00:02:19,180 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went 30 00:02:23,260 --> 00:02:26,380 Speaker 1: into a cave and spent the night. And the word 31 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,820 Speaker 1: of the Lord came to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 32 00:02:30,700 --> 00:02:34,950 Speaker 1: He replied, I've been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. 33 00:02:35,430 --> 00:02:39,310 Speaker 1: The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, 34 00:02:39,389 --> 00:02:42,870 Speaker 1: and put your prophets to death with the sword. I 35 00:02:42,910 --> 00:02:46,710 Speaker 1: am the only one left. Then now they're trying to 36 00:02:46,750 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: kill me too. The Lord said, Go out and stand 37 00:02:51,340 --> 00:02:53,660 Speaker 1: on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for 38 00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great 39 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,860 Speaker 1: and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the 40 00:03:02,900 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in 41 00:03:06,060 --> 00:03:10,769 Speaker 1: the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but 42 00:03:10,810 --> 00:03:14,709 Speaker 1: the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake 43 00:03:15,250 --> 00:03:19,190 Speaker 1: came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. 44 00:03:20,950 --> 00:03:25,419 Speaker 1: And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah 45 00:03:25,460 --> 00:03:28,370 Speaker 1: heard it, He pulled his cloak over his face and 46 00:03:28,410 --> 00:03:30,430 Speaker 1: went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. 47 00:03:31,030 --> 00:03:35,150 Speaker 1: Then a voice said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 48 00:03:36,290 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: He replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord 49 00:03:39,780 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: God Almighty that Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down 50 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: your altars, and put your prophets to death with a sword. 51 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: I'm the only one left and now they're trying to 52 00:03:49,660 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: kill me too. The Lord said to him, Go back 53 00:03:55,260 --> 00:03:58,670 Speaker 1: the way you came and go to the desert of Damascus. 54 00:03:59,830 --> 00:04:04,950 Speaker 1: When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, 55 00:04:05,550 --> 00:04:10,950 Speaker 1: anoint Yehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint 56 00:04:11,170 --> 00:04:17,030 Speaker 1: Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet. 57 00:04:18,210 --> 00:04:22,530 Speaker 1: Yehu will put to death any who escape the sword 58 00:04:22,570 --> 00:04:26,550 Speaker 1: of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who 59 00:04:26,610 --> 00:04:32,330 Speaker 1: escape the sword of Yehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand 60 00:04:32,450 --> 00:04:35,870 Speaker 1: in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed down to 61 00:04:35,890 --> 00:04:40,750 Speaker 1: Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him. So Elijah 62 00:04:40,790 --> 00:04:44,630 Speaker 1: went from there and found Elisha, son of Shaphat. He 63 00:04:44,650 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself 64 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,220 Speaker 1: was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him 65 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,980 Speaker 1: and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his 66 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:00,289 Speaker 1: oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father 67 00:05:00,330 --> 00:05:02,729 Speaker 1: and mother goodbye, he said, and then I will come 68 00:05:02,770 --> 00:05:07,190 Speaker 1: with you. Go back, Elijah replied. What have I done 69 00:05:07,250 --> 00:05:10,969 Speaker 1: to you? So Elisha left him and went back. He 70 00:05:11,010 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned 71 00:05:13,940 --> 00:05:16,780 Speaker 1: the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it 72 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: to the people and they ate. Then he set out 73 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: to follow Elijah and became his servant. In 1 Kings 19, 11-13, 74 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,890 Speaker 1: we read about how Elijah experienced wind, an earthquake, and 75 00:05:34,910 --> 00:05:38,710 Speaker 1: a fire. He expected to hear God in the loud, 76 00:05:38,770 --> 00:05:45,380 Speaker 1: powerful wind, in the great earthquake, or in the consuming fire. Surprisingly, 77 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: when God actually shows up and speaks to Elijah, it's 78 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,220 Speaker 1: through a gentle whisper. We're often like Elijah, looking for 79 00:05:54,260 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: God to speak to us in loud and humbling ways, 80 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,470 Speaker 1: but more often He speaks the truth we need into 81 00:06:01,550 --> 00:06:06,150 Speaker 1: our hearts in those ordinary, quiet moments of everyday living. 82 00:06:07,490 --> 00:06:10,590 Speaker 1: We need to stay alert and keep our hearts open 83 00:06:11,010 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: to the Lord's voice. The most profound moments of confirmation 84 00:06:16,020 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: from the Lord have come for me when I've been 85 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: driving alone in the car or lying down to rest 86 00:06:23,140 --> 00:06:28,260 Speaker 1: in dreams or in quiet moments of worship. These little 87 00:06:28,300 --> 00:06:31,180 Speaker 1: whispers have anchored me when I've felt the call to 88 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: step forward in faith. Look for God moments in the 89 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:40,919 Speaker 1: midst of your routine. Elijah's encounter reminds us that we 90 00:06:41,140 --> 00:06:44,740 Speaker 1: all have unseen moments when God calls us to give 91 00:06:44,860 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: over to worship Him. Corporate worship is beautiful, but most 92 00:06:50,460 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: of our relationship with Jesus is walked out as we 93 00:06:52,990 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: serve in our homes and work. It's a personal relationship 94 00:06:56,940 --> 00:07:01,219 Speaker 1: that we're called to steward. God can talk to us 95 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: in a crowded church service, and he can also speak 96 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,140 Speaker 1: to us when we are alone at home cleaning the dishes. 97 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: His presence is always with us. As we start and 98 00:07:14,380 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: end our day, we can bring what we have to 99 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,100 Speaker 1: the Lord. We can ask God to guide us through 100 00:07:21,140 --> 00:07:25,380 Speaker 1: the power of his Holy Spirit. God invites us to 101 00:07:25,420 --> 00:07:31,310 Speaker 1: do everything for Him, not for man. Be intentional about 102 00:07:31,370 --> 00:07:35,930 Speaker 1: pursuing God and preparing your heart to meet Him in 103 00:07:36,010 --> 00:07:44,060 Speaker 1: life's quiet moments. Father, I thank you that you speak 104 00:07:44,140 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: to me with a kind and gentle voice. You communicate 105 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: with me in the quiet, and I love to hear 106 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,340 Speaker 1: your voice. Continue to guide me. Meet me as I 107 00:07:54,380 --> 00:07:58,820 Speaker 1: go about my everyday routine. I need your guidance, love, 108 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: and presence in my life. Allow your guiding spirit to 109 00:08:03,660 --> 00:08:06,620 Speaker 1: be my anchor as I step out in faith to 110 00:08:06,700 --> 00:08:14,090 Speaker 1: serve you. I love you. Amen. How did tonight's scripture 111 00:08:14,170 --> 00:08:18,130 Speaker 1: speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly 112 00:08:18,180 --> 00:08:19,860 Speaker 1: Scripture Forum Discussions. 113 00:08:28,630 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 114 00:08:33,630 --> 00:08:38,459 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All 115 00:08:38,540 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, Your 116 00:08:44,460 --> 00:08:49,740 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following Your 117 00:08:49,820 --> 00:08:54,130 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be 118 00:08:54,230 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: sure that your day begins and ends today. centered on 119 00:08:58,380 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 2: the Word of God.