What Are You Doing Here?

What are you doing here, Elijah?

This question is at the end of one of the most mind-blowing portions of the Old Testament. If you haven't read 1 Kings 17-19, you should. If you have, you should read it again.

The Prophet Elijah had been knowingly living in the middle God's miraculous provision and protection for over three years. But after a turn of events, Elijah found himself hiding in a cave.

God asked him: What are you doing here, Elijah?

Elijah answered with a complaint.

God does another miraculous sign to Elijah and actually audibly whispers to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Sadly, Elijah missed the point. He answered with the exact same words as before.

Elijah wasn't in the cave because of the content in his complaint. He was in the cave because of his lack of trust in a God who he knew was capable of saving him.

After reading this encounter this weekend, I noticed something fresh.

Elijah became jaded after the epic battle between him and the prophets of Baal. Throughout the rest of his little time on earth, he seemed to have a bad attitude. My heart actually hurt for him.

How would you answer that question, if God asked you: What are you doing here, [insert your name]?

When I answered that question, guess what words flowed from my mouth?

Words of complaining.

I missed the point of the question as well.

Bad theology has me hiding in a cave. Not bad theology as in contrary to the word, but as in I don't combine what I know about God with action.

I know who God is. I know what he's done and what he's capable of doing. But, yet, I find myself failing to trust him. I take matters into my own hands and retreat to a dark spiritual cave.

I find myself increasingly become jaded because of that.

Is this you? Do you know who God is? Do you know what he's done for you and what he's capable of doing? Do you still find yourself not trusting him, so you take matters into your own hands? Are you jaded?

It's easy to complain about the circumstances that life has thrown at you (whether they are good or bad). It will always be more difficult to trust in a capable God who loves you.

Are you where you are because you trust God? Or because of a lack of trust?

What are you doing here?