I Kings 18:27  At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

I’ve wondered why this verse always brings a smile to my face.  I’m grinning even as I write this.  And now I am laughing.  Really!  I am sitting here typing and laughing.  It’s not laughing at the prophets of Baal shouting and dancing trying to get the attention of their god.  This verse just taps into such a wellspring of joy within me that comes from Him.

Think of it.  This verse paints such a perfect picture of who our God isn’t!  Our God isn’t deaf!  He isn’t distracted or busy or traveling.  He’s never asleep.  He doesn’t put out a “Do Not Disturb” sign.  He never says, come back later I’m too busy now.

Our God never has an “Oops”!  He doesn’t miss anything.  Nothing catches Him by surprise.  Nothing catches Him off guard.  There is never the need for Him to apologize to us because He was too busy elsewhere or distracted and just missed what happened to us.  He’ll never say, “Oh, how did that happen?”  He’ll never ask, “What do we do now?”

This reality must become bedrock in us.  Once it does, nothing will shake us.  No matter what happens, our first thoughts are of Him.  He knows what we’re facing.  He knows what’s coming.  If it happens, He allowed it and will get us through it.  Our God is always with us!  His grace and mercy and strength are there for us.  There’s nothing He can’t redeem.  We are never alone, even when we think He is no where around!

The more this wonderful reality of our God dawns on us, the greater is our joy and gratitude.  I guess that is the source of my smile – my overwhelming gratitude over who God is (and isn’t!) and that He made me His own.