Get UP and Get BACK….

Irish Calvinist wrote a great post about the faithfulness of God and the strength he supplies. He writes:

1 Kings 19:9 9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah had experiences that few of us will ever share. In this very occasion he is coming off of a hundred mile hike through some rough terrain. This of course is due to the fact that the wicked Jezebel has issued a note on his head for his part in first embarrassing and then slaughtering hundreds of her beloved prophets.

He is on the run and seems to be at the end of his rope. He says, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life…” (1 Kings 19.4).

To the answer the question asked by the Lord, Elijah says, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:10)

He seems to be done. He is frustrated with the idolatry. He even seems a bit defeated and resigned to just mail it in.

God then shows his power in the wind; he tears apart mountains and breaks in pieces the rocks. Then he shows himself powerful through the earthquake and then a fire. And then tenderly and carefully God again speaks to Elijah in the sound of a low whisper (1 Kings 19.12).

The question is again posed as to why he is there. To which Elijah gives the same canned answer. Only now the Lord tells him to get up and get back to work. The pity party is over. God is still all powerful, he is still speaking through his prophet, he is still doing his work, and you need to get up and get to it.

I am certain that many Christians, particularly pastors, can identify with the prophet here. We sometimes feel like the last level of orthodoxy, the last lantern of holy oil, and the only one who has not compromised.

To this God says again, get up and get back to work. For as long as Almighty God is committed to his glory and powerfully sits upon the throne of all the world, there is work to be done and selfish pity parties to be eschewed. God has not waved the white flag therefore his servants should not either.

We would do well to recount the myriad of ways in which God has shown himself faithful in our lives and ministries. The temptation is to sit with your head in between your knees like Elijah and wallow like a whipped dog. But friends, our God is on the throne, there is work to be done. He is the one who has said, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19.18).

Get up and get to work. Recount the glorious work of God in your midst. Pray with fervency. Stand firm like one who has truly seen the glorious power of God but who has also heard the tender voice of a low whisper. Go and find an Elisha to pour into. Find encouragement in ministry through the immovably powerful Almighty God.

Indeed as long as God is God there is no need for us to bathe in self-pity and hopelessness, for the God who says, “I am who I am” is the one who is eternally committed to the ceaseless promotion of his own glorious agenda of increasing his fame.