Such Short Memories

Dyngus Day

Hope you all had a good Dyngus Day!

Anyone know what that is?

I always forget. Every year.

I became familiar with it when we lived in SB b/c there is a large Polish population there.

Close to Chicago. Ethnicities.

Polish Catholics, Irish, Roman, etc.

All the steeples, 4-mi apart driving into Chicago.

Know why? They figured a family could walk 2 miles to church.

Anyway, Dyngus Day.

I learned about it b/c pastors work Good Friday. Everyone else gets the day off.

Since we work on Friday, we would take the Monday after Easter off.

We had a Polish neighbor who would always bring us fresh Kielbasa after visiting her family in Chicago so that we could celebrate Dyngus Day, the right way, w/ them.

Dyngus, in English, it’s what you call someone if you can’t remember their name.

Like the southern, Bubba.

But, in Polish, it loosely means “worthy”.

It’s a celebration of the end of Lent.

It’s the opposite of Fat Tuesday, for all you Mardi Gras ppl.

Fat Tuesday you over eat and over drink giving you something to fast from during Lent.

Dyngus Day is the day you over eat and over drink after fasting for Lent.

So, all the Polish bars and restaurants would start early. The local early morning news would be broadcasting from these places.

The Kielbasa, piergogis, and cabbage would all be cooking. And the beer would be flowing. Early.

I always forget about Dyngus, though. Until a friend texts me wishing me a happy Dyngud Day.

8 years, every year, you’d think I’d remember.

But, we’re old. We forget why we walk into the kitchen half the time.

Am I thirsty? Or, am I hungry?

IDK, just grab something. There’s always something good in our kitchen.

We have such short memories anyway. Especially when it comes to trusting God in tough situations when He has been faithful in every similar situ leading up to the current one.

You’d think, at some point we’d get it, and not cower in fear when we don’t know how we’re going to survive.

We’re still alive. We’ve survived every scare up to this point.

It’s our insecurity. I know God has shown up every time before, but he might not this time. And if he doesn’t, I’m toast.

But, He showed up every time before. Every single time. He will again. Every single time.

But, we need reminders.

God will be as faithful to us in the future as He has been in the past.

God’s faithfulness is infinite. Our memory is short. We need to remember to trust God like He is faithful, not like we’re old.

We are back in 1 Kings. In the middle of the work of Elijah to prove that God is God and Baal is not.

In ch. 19 Elijah faced a situation where is life was in danger once again and he needed a reminder of what God had done in the past so he could trust him in the present.

Another Tough Situation

1 Kings 19:2–5 NIV

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.” Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 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.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

Elijah is in a stretch when things just keep piling up. Every been there?

One thing, after another, after another.

Elijah had just made Baal and all of his worshippers look foolish.

Well, God did it. But the ppl just saw Elijah.

And, since they didn’t believe in God, the assumption was Elijah was responsible.

The prophets cried out to Baal all day but he didn’t light their altar on fire.

Elijah soaked his altar wood w/ water, prayed a simple prayer, and immediately, God lit up.

One well-placed lightening strike.

Then, Elijah had all 450 prophets of Baal executed.

So, Jezabel, wife of the king of Israel, Ahab, who worshiped Baal was ticked off!

A little common sense here. She had two options after the altar display.

1, repent and commit to God who obviously proved He is the only True God.

2, dig her heals in, stay w/ Baal, and fight God in spite of the obvious.

She chose the latter.

She sent word to Elijah that he was as good as dead. She had the authority and means to make it happen, too.

Don’t like the message? Kill the messenger.

Elijah got caught w/ his eyes on his current circumstances and not on God.

Rather than resting in God he ran for his life more afraid of Jezabel than trusting in God.

He is scared, and frustrated, even depressed.

When he said he’d had enough, that he’s no better than his ancestors what he is referring to are the prophets who preached to Israel in vein w/ little results.

They died trying to get Israel to return to God.

Now Elijah had done all that he had done and still failed to convince Jezabel to turn to God.

He felt like a frustrated failure.

He had done everything God told him to do. He exhibited great faith and obedience up to this point. But, he became too wrapped up in results.

Since he didn’t get the results he wanted, he felt like a failure when God saw him as a great success.

Success in God’s eyes is in the journey, not just the destination. God wants us to obey today and leave the results to Him.

Don’t let results define your success or failure.

Don’t let results, or lack-thereof, frustrate or even depress you.

No doubt this was a stressful situation. It was the latest of several. It was hard. But to assume failure was an over-reaction.

Elijah wanted God to take his life b/c he believed God would be merciful and quick.

If Jezabel got her hands on him, she would torture him and he didn’t want that.

It seems he had forgotten all that God had done for him to provide for and protect him up to that point.

His memory failed him and his trust in God sprung a leak.

So, God took him on a trip down memory lane to remind him and restore his trust in Him.

Reminders

1 Kings 19:5–10 NIV

Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 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. 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.” 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. 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?” 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.”

A quick review.

We first met Elijah when God told him to go tell Ahab and Jezabel there was going to be a change in the climate, a severe famine, due to their unfaithful disobedience.

No rain, no dew, no moisture.

God then led Elijah to an obscure ravine where there was running water in a brook. There was no running water anywhere else in the country. But, God did that for Elijah.

And God directed Ravens to bring him bread and meat every day. Ravens are known to not even feed their own young. But, they fed Elijah.

Then the brook dried up.

God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath (not Jewish) who was about to starve to death and he provided an unending supply of flour and oil that kept them all alive during the famine.

Then, the widow’s son died. God, thru Elijah, brought him back to life.

Next the altars and prophets of Baal.

After all that, Elijah ran for his life afraid that God’s faithfulness has run out. What had run out was his trust, not God’s faith.

As a reminder for all of that, God sent an angel to feed him under the broom bush. The bread was still warm like it was just out of the oven.

A light bulb should have gone if. If he was paying attention, looking for God’s provision, it would have reminded him immediately of everything God had done up to that point.

God fed him to give him strength for his next journey. He instructed him to start walking.

It was the same wilderness that God led Moses and Israel thru for 40 years. He provided manna for them every day of their journey.

For Elijah, it would have been a 14-day journey had God led him directly. But God took in a round about way that took 40 days to remind him of Israel’s 40-year journey and God’s faithfulness for that entire time.

It was a journey to Mt. Horeb. Another name for the same mountain is Mt. Sinai. The same mounting where God gave Moses the 10 commandments.

Again, as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to deliver Israel out of Egypt and into the PL. Even when they fell away God showed up and brought them back.

Elijah needed reminders not only from his own life but from history to show him how strong God’s faithfulness in us is even when our trust in him is weak.

Object lessons. If we’re looking we will see them. If we’re not looking we leave ourselves open to feelings of frustration even depression b/c we feel deserted by God and we miss how God is providing and protecting all along the way.

God asked him, “What are you doing here Elijah?” I didn’t call you here!

Have you ever heard that from God?

What are you doing there?

I didn’t lead you there! Your fear did.

Elijah’s answer was, basically, I’m the only one left who believes. I just need to know you’re still w/ me.

Elijah needed for God to show up.

A big part of every good relationship is simply showing up.

So, God showed up for Elijah in a powerful way.

God Showed Up

1 Kings 19:11–13 NIV

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. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 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?”

Elijah felt completely alone and defenseless against the ungodly forces plotting to destroy him.

God didn’t lecture him. He didn’t waste any energy telling him what he’d do or explaining it.

There was a violent and powerful wind. But God was not in this one.

There was a powerful earthquake. But God was not in this either.

There was a roaring and powerful fire. But God was not in it.

All of these are tools of God’s judgment. He uses things just like these to get his point across when necessary.

Just not this time.

Next there was a gentle whisper.

Elijah immediately recognized the voice and presence of God in the whisper.

Real strength is massive power under control. When someone is capable of mass destruction but reins it in to speak gently.

God, and His faith in us is strong when we are weak. Sometimes in our weakness we go off and lose control of our words and actions. God never does.

God then asked him the same question.

What are you doing here?

Elijah gave him the same answer.

I feel all alone.

In this object lesson God reminded him once again he is never alone.

But he’ll have to get quiet to realize it.

God is always in control even when it seems like bad ppl are.

Even the bad ppl can’t be as big and bad as a tornado, earthquake or forest fire.

And God controls all nature.

Elijah does not need to be afraid b/c nothing is going to happen to him as long as God does not want it to.

And has long as God has work for him to do, nothing will hurt him.

So, what does God have for him to do?

Not Finished

1 Kings 19:15–18 NIV

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. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 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. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Elijah still had work to do for God. 3 assignments.

2 kings and a prophet.

Thru these 3 God would finish the purge of Baal worshippers in Israel.

The only killing and dying will be at the hand of God.

While Elijah’s work was not done, yet. The end was in sight.

The prophet God had him anoint was to be his successor.

Our end only comes when God says it’s the end. And it’s not the end until our work is finished.

God went on to confirm and repeat the promise that a remnant of Israel will always survive.

No matter how disobedient they become, God will preserve a small number of faithful who will survive whatever judgment He brings.

In this case, there were 7000 who had not become Baal worshippers and God protected them thru the hardship that was to come.

Elijah still had a little work to do but he needed reminders that God would be w/ him throughout.

No matter how dangerous it may have been, nothing was going to happen to him that would prevent him from successfully completing God’s assignment.

The same is true for all of us. Rest assured no virus, no accident, no anything will take you out before you have finished doing what God has for you to do.

His faithfulness to you and me is infinite. Our trust has its limits b/c our memories are short.

We need to trust God more like his faith in us then our memories of Him.

Applications

Watch

God won’t lecture you. He will not waste any energy trying to explain what he did or what it means.

He will just show up.

We have to watch for it. Expect it.

If we don’t, we’ll miss it and wonder where He is.

A big part of every good relationship is showing up. God always shows up.

And when he does we can relax.

Watch for him to show up in your life.

Reminders

Our memories are not great and getting worse.

When He does show up, maybe you should write it down in a journal so you can go back and be reminded that he did so you can be certain that he will again.

When see what you are watching for write it down and your journaling will remind you of God’s faithfulness to you.

Success

Define success as God defines success.

Success is in the journey, not just the destination. Living faithfully and obediently as God leads you make you successful.

Leave the results to God.

This can be hard.

The journey might be difficult. Like Peter on the water. He stayed on top as long as he did not focus on his circumstances.

Don’t focus on your circ.’s. Focus on God.

It can also be hard b/c the results might need to show up in your marriage, or in your kids’ lives, or your health.

Just do today what God leads you to do then the results will take care of themselves.

And, you will never be a failure in God’s eyes.

Whose opinion really matters here, anyway?

You are a success b/c you believe in and are committed to following a gracious God.

You really don’t ever need to remember Dyngus Day ever again.

Don’t over eat. Don’t over drink. Fat Tuesday or the Monday after Easter.

But you do need to remember God’s faithfulness to you.

God will be as faithful to us in the future as He has been in the past.

God’s faithfulness is infinite. Our memory is short. We need to remember to trust God like He is faithful, not like we’re old.