What are you doing here?

I was caught by this phrase, "Then the Word of the LORD came to Elijah and spoke to him, 'What are you doing here Elijah?'" (1 King 19:9).

Wait! We are told in John 1:1,14 that Jesus is the Word. This caused me to pause and dwell. Was this Jesus? What are the similarities between the Hebrew word "debar" and the Greek word "logos?" How might these two be one? 

By way of understanding, we need to know that the Hebrew word "debar" implies action. It is all about movement taking place. It is event driven with the idea of it being spoken, written, illustrated or experienced. While the Greek word "logos" focuses on the reason, an idea, the order of the divine mind. 

Oh boy, once I reminded myself of these truths I reread Elijah's story and was so blown away.

God met Elijah in his moment of great fear and grief. He was scared to death, so much so, he said he wanted to die and pretty much told God, "Take my life." All he could see was darkness, no light, even though he had just slayed all the prophets of Baal and called down fire from heaven. Isn't it crazy how we can be so bold in the LORD in one thing and terrified in another? The simple word of one person can knock us down! Ugh!

But here is the cool part. God met Elijah here in his point of great fear to the point of asking God to take his life. 

God did not rebuke Elijah. God was active in the circumstances to show Elijah how he could regain his divine mind and be able to reason again and move forward against evil.

God sent an angel (a messenger) with food and water to remind Elijah to eat, drink and rest up because he had a long journey ahead. All long journeys require proper sustenance! 

In this, God provided kind provisions. He could have just given Elijah manna that just appeared, but instead God baked bread on hot coals. Imagine how the very scent of warm baked bread would awaken the sense of home, comfort, and peace. 

God used questions to help Elijah process his "why" in the circumstance. "Why are you here, Elijah?" Elijah had left the height of a mountain top to hiding in a cave of mountain far far away. 

God listened then God spoke truth. God didn't negate what Elijah felt or said, God simply spoke the truth that countered the lies that were in his head.

God gave Elijah purpose. "Go anoint so and so!" And then God showed Elijah how those actions would provide the protection he needed. The strength of the ones he would anoint would become a wall of defense. Strength upon strength. 

God made sure Elijah knew he was not alone! Not only would he anoint mighty warriors, but there were many others! There were 7,000 others who have not bowed to the false gods of Baal! 

God showed how Elijah would be able to build his wall of defense against the evil Queen Jezebel and resided him to look outside himself to see what God sees. 

BUT in all of this... it required Elijah to do his active part and he needed to use his divine mind to become rational in how he moved forward to do what God revealed. He needed to receive God's messengers, God's provision, God's plan, and God's voice. He needed to be active in engaging his mind and body to do as God willed. 

Hmmm. Pretty amazing! 

Where might you be hiding? 

Which part of this story might you need to listen to and obey?

A simple process to follow when someone spirals

Have you ever allowed fear to drive how you react? Or have you ever allowed bad theology to drive a thought process?  

I sure have! Ugh! I think this is why these stood out to me in in today's widow story.

The widow of Zarephath has the man of God living with her in the upper room. She has experienced the miracle of the flour and oil not running out. Yet, when her son took ill and started breathing in her crisis she fell prey to her emotion and bad theology rather than remember the present truth she has learned about God.

Ugh. It is so real. Our past formation is so hard to shed and some of it doesn't shed quickly. Yeah, I know some does instantly. But we all have something that is still in the process of being transformed. 

So, what do we do when we are confronted with someone in a spiral?

Elijah nailed it. He didn't defend himself, debate it, or negate it. He took action. He picked up the boy, removed himself and the boy, and prayed.

He left and prayed. He went to God. Make sure you catch that repeat. It was intentional. 

When he prayed, he said three things. 

1. He acknowledged the circumstance.

2. He asked God if He was in it.

3. He asked for the need.

God heard.

God answered. 

They both lived in the blessing.

Truly, a simple process. Don't ya think?

"I only have..."

I am sitting in the story of Elijah with the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-16). 

The need was great. The man of God needed sustenance and the widow only had meager supplies as the drought brought about a catastrophic famine in the land. 

Yet, God granted a miracle to feed three when the resources were scarce and the provision did not make sense. 

God could have continued using the ravens in a ravine way down south in the Judean desert to feed the man of God, but His eye was upon a widow in the north by the Mediterranean Sea. 

While the widow thought she was preparing her last meal for her and her son, God was preparing a way as only the Way Maker can do. He was sending a hungry prophet to be fed with her meager supplies. His journey would take three to four days walking at faithful pace. We might assume he had no food or water for his journey since the ravens had stopped feeding him and there was a famine in the land. 

His request for water might have been desperately spoken through dry parched lips and a throat so dry it burned to speak. 

She only need share what was her last resource to the man of God to receive the miraculous gift of an always full jar of oil and flour.

Desperation born from different reasons.

God could have fed the widow in the north with ravens or even turtles for that matter and the prophet in the south like wise. But, God likes to make human connections. He loves to build community and relationships. He uses these moments to build character and hope. He knows full well what will build our trust and test our faith. 

Will we go? Will we share? Do we dare? Do we listen? Do we obey? 

Sometimes, we find our provision in meeting someone else's need with our, "I only have..."

What miracle might we be missing by thinking, "I only have...?"

Elijah, What are you doing here?

Have you ever had a holy high and the fell into a unholy crash? 

Ugh. I have. It is the best and then it is the worst.

Then one day I read about Elijah doing the same thing, and I realized I could learn from his story what to do and what not to do.

1. I realized Elijah isolated himself. He separated himself by hiding in a cave and repeating over to himself and then to God all the things that were wrong. Stupid stinking thinking has to go!

2. When God showed up, He reminded Elijah that He is not in the things that knock us down (the wind), the things that shake us up (the earthquake), or the things that burn us up (the fire). He reminded Elijah that Hewass in the whisper. Listen to Him and He will give you the game plan.

3. God also reminded Elijah that there are 7,000 out there doing a good work. You are not the only one. Get over yourself!

4. God also reminded Elijah who to go to, what to do, and how to bless them. You are not done yet and others need to to speak life into them!

5. God then told Elijah to anoint them or said in another way, give them the blessing from your position to carry on the work. You must pass to the next generation the mantle of blessing.

6. God then pointed out that the next generation has the fortitude and strength to handle the battle at hand. Trust them to do the work just as someone else trusted you. 

Hmmmm, these are some pretty good reminders.

So, I find myself asking once again, What are you doing here? 

Maybe, you might need to ask yourself the same question.