Finding Purpose

Well if you have been with us we have been in this seires where we have been looking at this prophet named Elijah.

And many consider Elijah one of the greatest prophets in the Bible

And if you have been with us that past couple weeks you can kind of see why.

Because when he was alive Israel was very far from God, in fact if you have been with us they have been worshipping a false God named baal who controlled the weather

And so Elijah makes it so it does not raain for 3 years to show that baal does not control the weather but God does, because he is the true God

And then last week we saw Elijah have this faceoff between the false prophets of baal and himself.

And what happens is God proves He is true and where we ended last week was with the entire nation of Israel turning away from Baal and turning back to God and the last verse we read was them proclaiming together “the Lord is God, The Lord is God.”

And between last week God had made it rain,

But today we see a shift take place, because we see this mountain top experience and how God has been so faithful to Elijah, (in fact their have been 7 miracles so far) but today we actually see Elijah begin to really struggle with what God is calling him to do.

and we actually see him entering a state where He is actually severely depressed.

And we will just start by reading what happens which creates this huge shift, because look at 1 Kings 191-2 because it says this:

1 Kings 19:1–2 NIV

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

So Ahab comes back to their palace and he comes to his wife Jezebel, all that had happened about how Elijah had proven baal as false, and how all the false prophets were actually killed.

And there are probably two ways to respond here, because she could go wow, maybe I have this whole thing wrong, maybe its time to turn to God,

But what happens is we do not see her turning to God, but she buckles down and says “may the gods deal with me ever so severely if you are not dead by tomorrow”

You I love this doctrine we believe called previnent grace, and its a Grace that goes before, basically God is reaching out to us way before we ever are in a relationship with Him, but then we either deny or say yes to that grace.

And whats interesting is we see God almost reaching out, in fact its raining again, this could be a fresh start where they turn to God and change,

But we see her go no in fact she sends Elijah what I just read in a letter saying I am going to kill you by tomorrow.

And this is a little bit of a side point, but who we Marry and really even who we are in a relationship with, has a strong impact on our walk with God.

I am not just saying this to earn brownie points (altough your aloud to tell Arika this after service if you want to help me get some)

I am really lucky to be married to Arika, because she is someone that not only makes me better, but she makes me grow closer to God.

When I say something insensitive she calls me out on it

When I do not want to do something God is calling me to do she pushes me to do it

She encourages me, she helps,

She does a ton.

And I have to say this because when your in a relationship with someone supportive of your walk with God it makes a huge difference.

And some of us may have married someone who may not be the most supportive, and God can redeem that,

But I think the bigger question we have to ask ourselves is whether we are talking about a marriage relationship, a relationship with have with a boy friend or girlfriend or even the relationship that we have with our friends

How are we supporting them in their walk with God?

And lets get back to the story because Jezebel sends this really awful message to Elijah and lets get to Elijahs response, Because look at verses 3-9

1 Kings 19:3–9 (NIV)

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

So Elijah, receives this letter and is scared to death and he decides that its time to run.

And he runs and runs until he is about 80 miles away and he decides to head out to the wilderness and sits under a broom bush.

And he prays God will you just take my life?

And its kind of crazy because you look at this guy who has in the past 3 years experienced miracle after miracle (I believe there are 7 he has had so far)

And one of them being a few verses ago where he defeated the God is the real God.

And now Elijah has ran away and is wishing he was dead and really most scholars say that in this instance on of the greatest prophets in the Bible is severely depressed

And you go well how could this be?

But I think something for us to realize is mental health struggles are real.

And I think its important for us to se how God treats Elijah in the middle of this huge depression.

Because Elijah falls asleep, and an angel comes and says get up and eat, and by his head was some bread baked over hot coals and aa jar of water

I love this because God does not come and go I don’t understand why you are so sad?

Why aren’t you doing what I am asking.

But this passage paints this warm picture of God sending an angel to lovingly care for Elijah, and they make this warm bread, and water.

Its almost like when you are sick as a kid, and moms are amaazing arent they? I mean they are checking on you, they are caring, loving

And thats what we see God doing

and I just have to say if you struggle with mental health issues, God is so gracious and loving and will meet you in that place,

And so the angel does this again, but I want you to notice there is a difference this time, because now the angel goes eat because the journey is to great.

You know the beautiful part of this passage is while Elijah is stuck in this tough place, God graciously comes back and cares for him, but He also is getting ready to send him.

And it says he goes on a 40 day journey to the mountain and goes into a cave.

And its interesting is God ask Elijah a question:

He says what are you doing here?

Have you ever had God ask you that?

Maybe your at a place you shouldn’t be and God goes what are you doing here?

Maybe your watching something you shouldn’t be watching and God goes what are you doing here?

Maybe your just living in a state of anger or where you are constantly judging others and God goes what are you doing here?

And God comes and goes what are you doing here?

And I love it because Elijah does not beat around the bush. Look what He says in verses 9-10

1 Kings 19:9–10 NIV

9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

He goes God I have been amazing, I have done everything you have asked me to do and the Israelites do not care about you, and not just that but they have killed every true prophet and now they are getting ready to kill me.

You ever pray and prayer like that?

God you realize how good I have been and how bad the place I am is?

but look how God responds verses 11-17

1 Kings 19:11–18 NIV

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

So God tells Elijah to go out and stand on the mountian in his presence.

And a powerful wind comes that breaks rocks apart and you can picture Elijah going here we go! but it says God was not in it

Then it says a fire comes, but it says God was no in the fire

But then it says God comes in a gentle whisper

You know I think sometimes our expectation is when God moves it will be this loud huge thing (and sometimes it is)

I mean Miricles are cool

I mean its amazing when God does big revivals

But I think so often we see God moving in a small whispers

And those small whispers have the potential to change lives.

Some of you know who Billy Grahm is but if you do not h was one of the biggest evangilist and was affectionatly called Amrericas pastor.

But he started going to this little tiny church in the middle of no where.

But these are people that loved on him, and drew him closer to God when he was far away.

And I think the beautiful part of this is first off God speaks through the whispers in our life, but so often the small things that we think are insignificant are so significant in lives and we cannot imagine the impact it has.

You know you might be someone who cleans the church and you go “wow no one cares or notices” but what you don’t see is people walk in whos lives might be messy, but they come to an enviroment that seems clean and safe

It might working with the teens and kids and you go I don’t know if I am making an impact, but God uses it and you might no evern see the effect until years later

The list can keep going, but so often God might not be this big noisy thing but he is in these small mundane task

And lets finish up this story because I think if we were to sum up this story one of the issues is Elijah has his eyes set on the big noises.

And I think he saw his big letter, saying its over and he became so distracted that he took his eyes off God and focused in on this letter,

And this letter impacted his faith, more then God

And in verse 15-18 God begins to reorient Elijah back to God.

And God gives Elijah a task to begin annointing kings and prophets

And then He begins to show Elijah that he has made things worse in his head.

Because Elijah has basically went, I am the only follower of God left and I am about to die

And God goes no there are 7000 just in Israel who have never worshipped God.

You know I think Elijah has aloud his fear and anxieties to paint a picture that was not completely true.

And I think when we catch ourselves in a place like Elijah we have a God who meets us, repourposes us, cares for us and He begins to reorient our vision to what He sees.

Lets pray