What are you doing here?...

Another one of my favorite "guys" in the Sacred Scripture is: Elijah! I think the reason I like him is because he is sooo much like me...and perhaps you too. One minute he is standing before an entire nation making fun of the false god Baal...and the next he is running for his life because of the threat of one woman...the "wicked witch" Jezebel...

 In 1 Kings 18, there was a famine going on in Israel and particularly in Samaria. In fact, the famine was now entering its 3rd year.
 There was a King Ahab of Israel who was into the worship of the false gods of Baal...mainly because of the influence of his Phoenician wife Jezebel...a very influential person nor only to Ahab but to the entire country of Israel.
 In this chapter in 1st Kings, the story reads of a meeting between the false prophets of the gods of Baal (Jezebel's gods), and the God of Elijah...the true God of Israel.
 Because of the famine throughout the land...Elijah (inspired by the God of Israel) challenged the false prophets of Baal to build wooden sacrifices...and which ever God or gods would set these sacrifices on fire...would be declared the true God...and the rains would come.
 It is a great chapter to read when you are given the chance...because some versions of the Scriptures are hilarious as to this scenario and how it developed.
 First, you have the prophets of Baal who built their sacrifice of wood...chanting and cutting themselves to get "Baal" to light the fire...all the while Elijah mocking and making fun of all their "pre-ceremonies" to get this sacrifice to catch on fire.
 Elijah in some versions would yell out: "Hey...maybe your god cannot hear you....he is getting old you know", or "Did your god mention to any of you about needing a vacation?...maybe he is not here at the moment." to "Perhaps your god is in the restroom...and cannot be disturbed right now".
 After the false prophets of Baal were unsuccessful in getting "Baal" to set fire to their sacrifice...Elijah announces it was his turn.
 Elijah then had his wooden sacrifice...drenched in water not once...but 3 different times...and when He prayed to the true God of Israel...the sacrifice was consumed in fire.
 For the false prophets of Baal...it spelled their doom.

 Yet, after all that...in chapter 19 of 1st Kings, we read of Elijah "running for his life"...right after all this had taken place. Queen Jezebel had heard of all the mockery and deaths that came to her prophets of Baal...and proclaimed Elijah would be dead within 24 hours. So, Elijah ran!

 It;s all available to read in the Book of 1st Kings, beginning in chapter 18.

 I think to myself....isn't that how I am? I can see the Lord do something great in my life...or take me through a period of my life when I look back and say: "Wow...I can hardly believe how far I have come!" Then...maybe one minor setback...or a comment that totally puts me in fear...or a repeating thought that indicates a "bitter end"...and I am off doing what Elijah chose to do...run!
 All of a sudden nothing makes any sense...the Scriptures don't take on any meaning to me...I don't have time to pray...and I find myself tense...anxious...totally stressed out.

 Finally, after I am wore out from running...I sit down and basically am exhausted (in an emotional or spiritual kind of way)...when I hear those words: "Hey, I was just wondering...what are you doing here?" The same words Elijah heard from the Lord after he had been running from the threat of Jezebel.

 We all face various obstacles in life... threats, negative criticisms, not sure what is "up ahead" or even "outright lies"...they are all a part of our everyday lives. Yet...we can still take comfort...Why?...because God is in our very midst...and is leading us...all the way! We must continue to have our hearts respectful to Him...and out of that will be our boldness and confidence..to trust Him with...our very lives.

 I think the one thing that "Darkness" likes to convince us of the most...that we are in this journey of life...all alone. After Elijah had received comfort from the Lord and fear subsided from the threats of Jezebel...he found out from the Lord: "Elijah...you are not alone...there are 7000 others that have not bowed their knee to Baal, instead...they are committed to...Me!"
 And as for Jezebel and her threats toward Elijah...well..Elijah never did die...he was just taken up into Heaven one day...Jezebel?...let's just say she took a pretty hard fall...kind of like "Humpty Dumpty"...all the king's horses and all the kings men...couldn't put "Jezebel" back together again."

 If you get the time...1st Kings staring around chapter 18 is a good one to read...especially if you are stressed or worried. Keep your trust in Him...and seek His Presence...it dissipates anything trying to squander or even steal...your dreams.

 There was a lady from Portsmouth, England... who spent 15 months at the University of Sussex...gaining her Master's Degree in Russian and Eastern European studies. The thing that struck me about this lady...she was 80 years old...when she went for her Masters!

 I don't think Gregorian calendars exist in the Kingdom we seek...." a day is about a thousand years to the Lord and a thousand years is about a day"....which month would you put that into?......