Elijah's Contemplative Retreat ...
As I was preparing to lead our time of gathering for The Great Silence this year, Elijah came to my mind. Do you know Elijah ... the one who was sent to stand out on the mountain to meet God in the "sound of sheer silence" as the New Revised Stand Version of the Bible put it. Isn't that simply the most beautiful phrase to capture what happens when we allow ourselves to come away from the chaos of life and seek God in the stillness. We rest in those sublime moments of sheer silence ... as sheer as gossamer silk ruffling in the gentle breeze of each breath. ahhhh!
OH, but if it were that easy, yes?
If you aren't familiar with Elijah's story, take this link to 1 Kings 19:1-14 from The Voice Bible.
As I began to study the passage anew from The Voice perspective, I discovered that Elijah's journey is much like the journey we take in a silent retreat. Most of us arrive from the chaos of the world, perhaps we are not exactly running from someone who is seeking to kill us, but escaping the chaos we live in, slowly killing our soul. We are running for our lives to a place to "hide out" from all of the details.
And I for one, as soon as I arrive and my body begins to relax from all of my anxiety, I realize that I am exhausted. Just like Elijah, I yawn and I hold up my eyelids as long as I can but then I find myself sleeping more than I expect. If I am blessed lucky, I fall into a deep sleep, too! As Elijah lay sleeping, an angel came in his dreams to encourage him to take nourishment for his journey, then provided food and water. At our retreat, we have our beautiful chef who accompanies us and provides just what we need to keep going. And each one of us sets off in the direction God beckons us. For some it is calm sailing and for others there is rough water but each of us is accompanied by heavenly messengers to encourage us on our way. Some companions emerge in our dreams, some arrive with a hug and a smile just when it is needed. Sometimes our bolder companions even "honk" their presence to let us know that God is as present to us as the cool breeze that blows across our cheek and kisses our soul ...
Slowly we realize that we have come to a new place ... it is no longer called "sleep," it is called rest and it nourishes our bodies. Sleep prepared us for the presence of God but rest welcomes God into our consciousness and into our lives.
When we next awaken the colors of God burst forth in the sunrise.
Still waters run deep and invite our reflections.
To a now well-rested Elijah, God asks a couple of questions: Why are you here, Elijah? What is it that you desire?
And Elijah goes on a rant ... he basically says, I'm the only one working for you and you're people are not faithful to you ... I'm the only faithful one. And God invites him still deeper. God invites Elijah to come to the mountain. So he continued his journey, well-fed, well-watered, and well-rested. And when Elijah comes to the mountain, God is not found in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire ... God was found in the "calm breeze" according to The Voice Bible. And "through this calm breeze a gentle, quiet voice entered into Elijah’s ears." The Eternal One whispered the questions once again ... "Why are you here, Elijah? What is it that you desire?
If God were to ask these questions of you, what would you say? What is your deepest desire of of your heart? What do you really need? What do you really want from God?
Perhaps you might breath your prayers. When we engage in breath prayers, we breath in a name for God and we breath out our deepest desire ... Try deep breathing this prayer for 10 minutes or as long as is comfortable for you.
Breathing in ... Calm Breeze
Breathing out ... whisper in my soul
I find it fascinating that, just like he fled into the desert after the miraculous ministry event (see 1 Kings 18 for the back story if you don't know it and it feels important for you to know) he had experienced on Mount Carmel, after this amazing encounter with God, Elijah's answer does not change. Is it possible that even though the words have changed, he has? I think it is possible. And yet as I sat in community at The Great Silence looking around at the faces of my companions in the silence, I realized the one thing that Elijah didn't have was a community. He was all alone. Or at least he thought he was. God went on to tell him there were many other God-followers. So he may not have been alone but he was disconnected. Finally, God says to Elijah: "travel back the same way you traveled here ..." (v. 15a, The Voice Bible) And I think he may have changed because he went to Elisha and mentored him into the role of prophet.
And so, each of my dear companions in the silence and me, traveled back to our own communities, rested and closer to God, changed and transformed ... just like Elijah! I hope, I think, I know :)
