In Service

Have you ever considered the passion of the apostles?  Some of them lived mighty short lives and then John made it into the third generation of disciples!  Imagine the drive they had, now compare that with the drive of the average Christian.  Yeah, pretty sorry comparison, eh?

When I first became a Christian, for six months all I did was read the passages concerning Elijah every night at bedtime.  Think about it – here was a man whom was completely devoted to God, did incredible things, had a desirable relationship with God and yet was completely human and not beyond hiding in caves when his faith failed him.

It drove me crazy.  How could someone be so sold out to something which was so invisible?  How could he call down fire, or multiply food, or raise a dead youth or out run a chariot.  It did not make sense to me.  And yet, I was willing to believe it – the Bible is far too accurate in historical aspects to pick and choose what you want to be true or false.

I desired to be like Elijah.  I wanted that passion.  I wanted that zeal for God in my life.  I wanted that commitment – and the ability to stick with it.  I can not say I have out run anything since becoming a Christian.  I can not say I have healed anyone, much less raised a dead person.  How I wish I could heal myself or others!  And though I might like to call down fire from heaven upon a car which cuts me off or some jerk at a store, I know that is not going to happen!

But, perhaps the only thing of Elijah’s I have is the ability to see God at work in our everyday lives.  From the ‘luck’ or ‘coincidences’ we stumble across, to the justice I see meted out, I continue to see God working in my life, my kids’ lives and those around me.  Oh, often no one agrees with me at all on a single event – but across time they usually begin to understand that God is very quietly at work.  Especially, once they understand that there indeed are no coincidences in life.

Lately, I have felt like I am that Elijah cowering in a cave, not expecting to hear God’s voice and not sure when I have.  I have felt very much run over these 18 months by ‘life’ and wondering if there is some message I am not getting.  I wonder if I am even sane at times – no one I know has a run of ill ‘luck’ as I seem to have been facing.

And that tells me that change is about to happen!  Yes, God is refining me for something and I know it will be exciting and probably horrifying at the same time!  Change always is!  God only knows what will be left of me by the time He is done preparing me – but I hope it involves hearing His voice and obeying without question, filled with His Spirit….