My Epic Journey

Have you ever gone from GREAT victory to DEVESTATING despair?  Had the world by the tail and the next moment felt as if the world was sitting on top of you, crushing you?  Breathed in the INVIGORATING air of the mountain top to find your next step sending you rolling FURIOUSLY down to the valley?

Your not the only one!!

In 1Kings 19.1-18 we see Elijah, an amazing prophet of God, go from one of the most powerful public displays of the strength of God to absolute anxiety and despair to the point of pleading to die.

As I read this passage I wrestle with why we see this sudden change in Elijah.  I believe there are three reasons Elijah last hope?

1.  He was tired.  In fact, Scripture records that he was VERY zealous for the Lord and His work and had worked continuously to see the Israelites turn from false gods to THE God!!!  Therefore, he was tired, which is understandable.  It is always good for us to work hard with what God wants us to do, but it is also necessary to take some time to rest.  Even Jesus, during his earthly ministry, took time to rest!

2.  He needed to get away.  Much like the last point, if we do not take time to step out of the fight to get refreshed, we will certainly lose the battle.  During this time of reflection God did some amazing things:

• He fed Elijah.  Elijah would nap and when he woke there was food and drink sitting next to his head.  How cool is that????  God supplied even during a tough time in Elijah’s life.
• He kept Elijah safe.  God protected Elijah and even sent him to a safe cave where he could rest and reflect.
• He spoke to Elijah.  This, to me, is the coolest part of the story.  In a time of despair, God speaks, in a most incredible way, to Elijah. 

11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

3.  He let people get BIGGER than God.  I have a book sitting in on my library shelf titled, When People are Big and God is Small by Edward Welch. 

Welch talks about the power people have on our life if we take our focus off of God.  This is what I believe Elijah struggled with the most.  He let wicked Jezebel get the best of him and forgot that, though people seem BIG at time, God is ALWAYS bigger!

Next time you feel like all hope is lost, don’t lose your fight, but instead take time to revitalize your soul and your LOVE for God and His work.

I was reading 1 Kings 17 this morning as was struck by the story of Elijah and his interaction with a widowed woman and her son.  Perhaps if you grew up in going to church you would be familiar with this story as it surely taught in your Sunday School class, but for those that are unfamiliar with it, here are some bullet point highlights to give you some background:

• God told Elijah it would rain or dew until He (God) said it would.
• God sent Elijah to the home of widow and her son to be fed and taken care
• The woman had a little flour and some oil in a jar.
• Her plan–make one last meal for her and her son and then die.
• Elijah told her to take care of his needs first.
• The widow and her son never saw the bottom of the jar.

Here is what struck me about this story:

1.  God RADICAL provision.  The use of a widow to provide for Elijah would be tough in good times and yet God chose to use this woman during incredibly HARD times.  TRUTH:  God’s plans are not always OUR plans.  When times are tough (and they are) God will often stretch us to bless us!!!

2.  The AUDACITY of Elijah.  What?????????  How could someone tell a woman who has nothing and is planning on dying to take care of HIS needs first???  ANSWER:  Someone who knew the plan of God and had FAITH that God was going to carry it out!  TRUTH:  Sometimes we must be bold when not only stretching our faith but the faith of others.  We must also be careful though to make sure it is the WORD of God that is telling us so and not our own thoughts and wants!

3.  The PROMISE of God.  God kept His Word by not allowing the bottle to go empty which kept their stomachs from going empty as well.  TRUTH:  When we are FAITHFUL to follow the plan of God, He will be FAITHFUL to follow it through!!!!

As you celebrate the New Year with fanfare AND fear of what lies ahead, rest in the promises of God.

“11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  –Jeremiah 29.11-13.