YES!

i believe this is what heaven looks like.

Elijah was afraid, and ran for his life... and the word of the Lord came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

The Lord said "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. when Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him "What are you doing here, Elijah?

He replied "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 1 Kings 19:9-14

i started reading this story a couple of days ago and it was very frustrating to me. i couldn't understand how elijah could give God exactly the same answer, after all that had happened. he was afraid, so he ran. and God took care of him, even "passed by him" (which seems to happen only to special people on special occaisions in the old testament) and still, elijah was afraid.

or at least that's what i got out of it. determined to find an explanation, i read commentaries and different translations, hoping a different perspective might help me understand why elijah didn't fall down and worship, or put on sackcloth and ashes, or something. the more i pondered, the more i realized that maybe it wasn't elijah's response that was troubling me, but my own. after all that God has done for me, how can i ever stand before him with the same fears, the same dispassionate attitude? what's wrong with me? yesterday i read in james "mercy triumphs over judgement." i can judge elijah - and myself, but God has a plan for us that can't be foiled by our weaknesses. somehow, he loves us anyway.

appreciate this