Year 1, Day 360: 1 Kings 19

Picking Back Up from Yesterday

This is a phenomenal trio of stories that we have today.  But before I get ahead of myself, let’s pick up the unfinished business that I left.  How does the world react to a strong display of God’s presence?  We assume that they would see God and know the error of their ways.  But is that what actually happens in this story?

Ahab sees the action for himself.  Apparently he is confused and weak, because he immediately returns to Jezebel, his wife.  He doesn’t repent – he doesn’t have the strength of character to admit that he was wrong and turn to God!  No, he tucks his tail and runs for what he believes is safety.  He runs back to Jezebel, finds comfort in her arms – which also embrace other gods – and then together they resolve to destroy God’s prophets.  Of course, the masses go along with the flow and let Ahab and Jezebel try to hunt down Elijah.

Here’s the truth, folks.  Great displays of God’s power bring about great displays of human bravado.  People who are opposed to God aren’t often turned by God’s displays.  Their hearts are hardened and their resolve is bolstered.  Think about the Pharaoh in Egypt during the time of Exodus.  Think about Saul and his time of reign and all the opportunity that he had to repent when God acted.  Think about Ahab and Jezebel here.  Think about Herod at the time of Jesus’ birth.  Think of the Sanhedrin (and the crowds, even!) at the time of Jesus’ preaching and miracles.  Think of the vast majority of people who saw James, John, Peter, and even Paul perform miracles.  We think they should turn, repent, and see God’s power.  But typically the people do not.  Leaders and people who “have life figured out” rebel against strong displays of God’s power.  Bravado and strong posturing are what we get from the world, not repentance.

On the other hand, truly humble people – people who don’t really need God’s displays of power – are the ones who stop and worship God.  Think about Mary when Gabriel visited her.  Think about the shepherds when they are presented by the testimony of the angels.  Think about Abraham when he is visited by the angelic messengers.  Think about Daniel and the many displays he saw of God’s power.  The humble – the ones who know God’s power and already honor Him – those are the ones who respond to God in the way that we think all people should.  That is a really important lesson to learn today.

The next time you are facing strong-willed resistance in your faith and you are tempted to think that if God could just show Himself to the person/people resisting the faith, don’t be tempted to call out for a strong display of God.  That will typically only result in the further hardening of their hearts as the people dig in their heels and seek to prove themselves to be correct.  It’s just human nature to be that way.  Instead, pray for prophets to come among them and slowly preach grace, love, mercy, and God’s ways to them.  After all, that’s ultimately the example we see God use when He sent Christ to earth.

Elijah and the Cave

So I have spent most of my space on the residual question from yesterday and I am running out of space to talk about Elijah.  So I’ll make it quick.  I love Elijah because he is a character like David.  His character flaws come forth so readily that I can identify with him.  Elijah flees Jezebel, choosing to run, hide, and begs God to let him die rather than face Jezebel.  Forgive me for being honest and transparent, but that is so very much like me at times.  I think this is like most humans, actually.  When things get tough, we run so long and only when we have run long enough do we circle the wagons and prepare a proper defense.  But we run so often.  For most of us, “flight” is a stronger reaction than “fight.”

Of course, God still comes to Elijah and helps prepare him for the fight ahead.  He feeds him.  He directs him to a cave where God reveals that He is working where Elijah would not expect Him to be working: amidst the silence and not the power of the storm.  He teaches Elijah that He is present in all things.  Even when Elijah is running away and begging for his death God is still coming to him and inviting him into His work.  That’s how gracious God is.

Elijah and Elisha

Then God directs Elijah to go get help.  Do you know what the cure is for an ailing leader?  A disciple.  It’s that simple. 

Most spiritual leaders are “ailing” because they feel as though their work for God is fruitless.  They see no results from their efforts.  They feel like they preach, teach, and minister while the world goes on unchanged.  And yes, we know that’s a lie, but we believe it anyway. 

But when a person comes along that the leader can disciple, now the leader has focus.  He can see the changes happening.  He can be inspired by the growth of the other.  The best cure for an ailing leader is for that leader to pick up a disciple.  None of us can change the world.  But we can be a part of God’s change one person at a time.

Isn’t this what happens with the Apostle Paul?  Sure, Paul is a strong leader, teacher, and preacher.  But you always hear Paul talking about the brothers and sisters around him.  He talks about Timothy, Titus, Silas, Chloe, Priscilla, Aquilla, John Mark, Luke, Aristarchus, and Phoebe.  Paul had a small group around him that he was actively in the process of discipling.  That’s what kept him strong.  That’s what carried him through the spiritual valleys.  That’s what got him through the beatings.  These are the people whose story of change kept him hopeful in prison. 

So in Elijah’s moment of weakness, God sends him someone to disciple.  God is so good, and He knows just what the cure is.*

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*For the record, I don’t mean to leave Jesus off of this list.  Of course, it is for Christ that Paul ministers.  It is for Christ that Paul preaches.  I don’t mean to imply that Paul was doing it for the wrong reasons.  Certainly Paul was focused on Christ.  I hope that in attempting to assert the importance of disciples in Paul’s life I did not give the impression that Christ was any less important.  In fact, I would say that each of these relationships exalt Christ, because it was Christ who was the driving core of each of these relationships.