Relevant Life

It was a dark dreary night in downtown Kansas City. I was driving home from an event and I was not familiar with the city roads. I turned down a road thinking that it would be a short cut to my anticipated way home. I noticed cars coming towards me frantically. They were honking their horns and flashing their lights. “ What was their problem?” I kept thinking to myself. I looked around curiously and noticed that I was going down a one way road. I was heading the wrong direction! I finally was able to turn on the correct road and amazingly did not hit any other vehicle on the way. It was a scary experience and one I never wanted to repeat anytime soon. How did I miss the signs? How could I not see that I was going the wrong direction? Why did it take honking horns and flashing lights for me to be shaken to the reality of my dilemma?

Have you ever gone the wrong way? Have you ever entered into the wrong bathroom? Have you ever found yourself in a meeting that you were not invited too? I am sure most of us have experienced something similar. Changing this over to a spiritual thought now. Have you ever found yourself outside of God’s will? Have you ever gone the wrong direction? A famous prophet did. He was an amazing man of God but found himself over 80 to 100 miles in the opposite direction of where God wanted him to be.

1Ki 19:3-18 GW
(3)  Frightened, Elijah fled to save his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there.
(4)  Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, LORD,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.”
(5)  Then he lay down and slept under the broom plant. An angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
(6)  When he looked, he saw near his head some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water. So he ate, drank, and went to sleep again.
(7)  The angel of the LORD came back and woke him up again. The angel said, “Get up and eat, or your journey will be too much for you.”
(8)  He got up, ate, and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled for 40 days and nights until he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
(9)  There he went into a cave and spent the night. Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah. He asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
(10)  He answered, “LORD God of Armies, I have eagerly served you. The Israelites have abandoned your promises, torn down your altars, and executed your prophets. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.”
(11)  God said, “Go out and stand in front of the LORD on the mountain.” As the LORD was passing by, a fierce wind tore mountains and shattered rocks ahead of the LORD. But the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the LORD wasn’t in the earthquake.
(12)  After the earthquake there was a fire. But the LORD wasn’t in the fire. And after the fire there was a quiet, whispering voice.
(13)  When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then the voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
(14)  He answered, “LORD God of Armies, I have eagerly served you. The Israelites have abandoned your promises, torn down your altars, and executed your prophets. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.”
(15)  The LORD told him, “Go back to the wilderness near Damascus, the same way you came. When you get there, anoint Hazael as king of Aram.
(16)  Anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel. And anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel Meholah as prophet to take your place.
(17)  If anyone escapes from Hazael’s sword, Jehu will kill him. And if anyone escapes from Jehu’s sword, Elisha will kill him.
(18)  But I still have 7,000 people in Israel whose knees have not knelt to worship Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Elijah just saw the Lord defeat the prophets of Jezebel. He saw the Lord send fire from heaven but the moment he heard that Jezebel was after him; he fled for his life. Elijah thought he was doing the right thing. He was heading towards the mountain of God. ( Mount Horeb) God had spoken to his people from there many times before . Maybe Elijah thought God would speak to him there. Along the way, Elijah falls under the heavy burden of the “ Woe’s is me’s” The Lord was patient and took care of Elijah needs. Food and drink was provided for his 40 day journey to the mountain called Horeb. Once Elijah gets there God reveals to him his presence and whispering voice. Elijah is then told to turn around and go back the same way he came. God never wanted him to leave his previous location. He had a plan for Elijah there and for the next generation of spiritual leaders who would replace Elijah once he was gone.

Sometimes we can miss it with God. Sometimes we miss his direction for our lives and sometimes we miss his purpose for our lives. It is important that we hear his gentle whispering voice and turn around to go the right direction.

Learnings from Elijah’s wrong direction:

1. He allowed fear of the unknown to direct his paths instead of God’s leading.

2. He forgot about God’s power and purpose over his life. He saw the Lord bring fire down from heaven but quickly forgot about God’s power.

3. He allowed the enemy to get him on a pity party and bound to pride. Elijah thought he was the only believer left in Judah. Come to find out he wasn’t.

4. God took care of Elijah even when Elijah was not in His perfect will. Food and drink was brought to Elijah miraculously. God takes care of us even when we are not in His perfect will. He is our loving Father. Why wouldn’t he take care of us? He shows mercy in the hopes that we come to our senses.

5. God gave Elijah signs in the cave of His infinite power. God was showing Elijah that he had nothing to fear. God uses honking horns and flashing lights to get our attention as well. It is important that we pay attention before we crash into the passing cars.

6. Elijah discovered the whispering voice of God. Elijah had got use to the fire from Heaven God. He missed the fact that God speaks to us directly and intimately.

7. God reveals to Elijah his perfect plan. There were more faithful people in Judah besides Elijah.

8. Elijah almost missed God’s greatest purpose for him. When Elijah went back; he was soon taken up to heaven in a godly whirlwind. One day he will return to planet earth and will help bring God’s direction for mankind.

It is easy to go the wrong direction when we are not paying attention to God’s whispering voice. It is important to strive to be within his perfect will. In his perfect will, his whirlwind of vision and purpose is made clearer within out lives.