A few years ago, on a day when the United Kingdom had a slight earthquake, my husband and I were leading a walk for a local group. The mild tremor wasn’t a problem for us, but at our lunch stop we could see that the weather was deteriorating and the temperature was dropping, so we quickened our pace. We needed to get our group back to base as soon as possible. I was focused on the group and neglected to put my jacket on, even though by then a biting icy wind was pounding my back.

I was relieved when we got everyone back safely. But by the time my husband and I arrived home, I could barely move because my back was rigid and painful.

As I began to pray, I thought of a Bible passage telling an experience of the prophet Elijah, in which he heard the Word of the Lord saying to him: “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.” He obeyed, “and, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (I Kings 19:11, 12).