Skip to main content

We're Wrong


 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So to, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it annot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:1-6)
          Do you ever feel like you’re alone, like you’re the only one who gets it, the only one who cares? I do. Even as I think it, I know it’s a lie, but the pity party has been cued. Elijah felt that way. You probably know the story. Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to a “My God’s Bigger Than Your God” contest. It seems as if all Israel was in the stands. The priests of Baal give it their best shot…nothing. Elijah handicaps his side by pouring lots of water over the sacrifice, the wood, the ground… and offers a simple prayer. Fire falls and consumes everything he’d drenched. The people begin their chant, “The Lord, He is God…The Lord, He is God.” Four hundred priests of Baal are executed.
         One woman said, “I’m going to kill you for that.” Granted, she was the queen, but that was all it took. Elijah ran for the hills. He hid in the mountains, complaining to God that he was all alone and asking God to kill him. It wasn’t just that he wanted to die – if that had been the case, he could have surrendered to Jezebel. He wanted to die before she could kill him. Elijah went from “My God’s Bigger Than Your God” to “Kill me before she does,” and from Israel chanting “The Lord, He Is God” to Elijah chanting, “I’m all alone” in days.
         God’s answer to Elijah was rest, refreshment, and reassurance. The reassurance came in two parts. First, God showed Elijah that He’s still God. After that, He told Elijah that his perception was off. Elijah wasn’t alone. God had a remnant. God always has a remnant. He saved a remnant from the flood. He saved a remnant from Sodom and Gomorrah. He kept remnants all along the way. Though some people love to proclaim that the Church is full of sin and hypocrisy, God has a remnant. When we feel as if we’re alone, we may need rest and refreshment, but we also need reassurance that we're wrong.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more