People have prayed and meditated throughout human history in an effort to connect with God’s Spirit.

He traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. 1 Kings 19:8-9

I’ve never seen this until now, but I think this story about Elijah’s triumph, then panic, then encounter with God in a cave and empowerment and restoration that follows can be viewed as a practical lesson in what it looks like for any of us to experience God’s presence.

These days, “meditation” is the term that’s common in culture, but call it whatever—solitude, prayer, centering…whatever. The goal is to be still, put fear in its’ place, move past the distractions, and experience God’s presence.

Over the next few days, I’ll break down Elijah’s experience in the cave and how it can serve as a model for our practicing stillness.