The Voice of Salome
My name is Salome. I am the mother of a boy who died but was revived and rescued from death by the prophet Elijah.
Our land had been struck by a heavy drought. It had not rained for years. All the crops had failed, and food was running short. In fact, I had enough flour and oil left to bake just one more meal for my son and myself — before starvation and death would be our fate.
Into our village came a man — old and unkempt, but with a kind face and an air of authority about him. He approached us as we slowly gathered wood to build our final fire.
“Please,” he said, “can you make me a cake?”
I almost laughed in his face. “We have nothing,” I explained, and I spelt out our predicament to him.
“I have come from God,” he told us. “He has promised that if you help me, the little flour and oil you have will never run dry. Trust in the God of your ancestors and deliverance will be yours.”
I made a cake for the man of God and, true to his word, the flour we had never ran out. The man stayed with us for months and months, until the rains came and our fields were once again ready for the harvest.
Time passed, but with every passing day my son grew weaker. I watched as he deteriorated in front of my eyes. I cried out to God who had saved us from certain death - could he now restore my son’s health?
But death came.
I didn’t know what to do with myself. I beat my chest and wept until my eyes had no more tears left. Where was God now?
Then, when all hope seemed lost, Elijah returned.
I pleaded with him. “I helped you. Now, could you help me and restore my son?”
It was a bold request, but the prophet didn’t flinch. Instead, he knelt and prayed. Then he took my son in his arms and breathed over him.
To my amazement, my son opened his eyes! He was alive!
From then on, I followed Elijah’s ‘career’ with interest. There was, for example, the ‘battle of the barbecues’, as I call it, against the supporters of a god named Baal. There, the challenge to light a fire with a lightning bolt was laid down; Elijah’s God not only did that but he managed to light a pile of wood that had been soaked in water to show his power...
Then there was the time Elijah fled the wrath of the queen, who hunted him down whilst he hid in a cave. There God came to him. There was a great wind, a fire and an earthquake, and yet Elijah realised that God was not in any of these. Rather as they passed, Elijah heard God in the still small voice.
Prayer
God of Elijah, who restored the dead child to life again, come and help me to know your still voice of calm. Amidst the busyness of my life, help me to find space for you, so that you can show me what you would have me do.
Amen.
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