Are You Searching for God?
Good Morning Friends,
Someday our nation, communities, cities, businesses and States may learn the lesson that Elijah learned. Sometimes politics goes stupid. Sometimes we run out of energy but need to keep going. Elijah ran on feelings, fear, fumes and faith. Then finally he chilled out with God. He went through periods of hope, survival, and depression and finally, in the Spirit, he found purpose doing what he needed to do after comparing his two mountain top experiences. At first he was a bit of an idiot about it and collectively we can be that way too, but in the end he came around to a better reality of passing on a little sanity. And now here it is the day after Pentecost and I am hoping the stage is set over the course of the next year with all it jubilees and anniversaries of historical events to see the power of the Spirit coming into our lives. Maybe it depends if we are looking for this power in the right way. Are You Searching for God?
Scripture: When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,
Jeremiah 29:13 (NRSV)
He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
1 Kings 19:11-13 (NRSV)
Message: Elijah, whose name means “my God is YAHWEH,” had a habit of being used for a miracle of God and then going into hiding from the bad King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel. As we look at today’s text, which occurs about a 100 years after King David, Elijah is again in hiding at Mount Horeb. He had just defeated Jezebel in a spectacular showdown against the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and was a bit depressed. Here he receives a message from God and it is instructive for Elijah and us as well. The message is the same in the wind and flame and earthquake. But it is not the power we expected. The real power is in the still small voice. And here we realize that in some ways it comes down to what we put our faith into for that is what shapes our behavior. Surely we know that God that is bigger and better than we are… Maybe it is not God in the gale force winds, not God in the fire and earth moving under our feet, but God will found in the relationship with a still small voice of love. And that is the greatest power in the universe. The message is clear that God can treat us to power but that He is more powerful still than what we can imagine. As the children’s chat this last Sunday pointed out…we are as spoons to God’s shovel when it comes to moving dirt… we are as scissors to God’s riding lawn mower when it comes to cutting grass. From the experience on the mountains of Ararat, Sinai, Carmel to Horeb, Hermon and Calvary and Pentecost, the message is the same. God has a power we do not have. He is holy and we are not. He is God and we are not. He is big enough to forgive us for falling short of His glory if we but seek His love over earthly power…if we but confess that we believe in the newness of life only He can bring. Maybe then God’s Holy Spirit power might just show forth. Friends, that is the nature of God’s plan witnessed at Pentecost. Maybe God plans to possess the earth through a united Body composed of frail humans…like you and like me. If you believe this then now is the time to work the plan. So friends, as you seek God, discover that the power of peace grows and thrives where respect and love of other believers are present. Peace grows and thrives when we become clear witnesses of God’s power in our lives. Peace grows when we obey the Lord. Peace grows in us when God’s peace takes us over. Here in this place of peace we discover God’s purpose and our potential through acts of faith motivated by that still small voice of love.
Pray that we go where God is. Pray that we live in and create a sense of expectancy. Pray that we recognize under whose authority salvation, healing and peace is realized. Pray that we jealously guard against claiming any glory but offer it all to God. Pray that we be energized with the power of God, motivated to find opportunities to minister to hurting people… always expecting a miracle.
Pray that people in power repent of their ways. Pray that we be still and experience what we have been searching for. Pray we not seek God in the experience of earthly power. Pray we seek for God in the still small voice that tells us even now what we already knew…that God is here right now in our hearts.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 