Sunday 27 February 2005

 

Elijah and Patience

Challenging Culture takes Time

 

 

Human Just Like Us

It’s easy to think of characters within the Bible to be extra ordinary, so often it’s the fact that they are ordinary people who place their trust in an extraordinary God and incredible things happen. James the brother of Jesus writes about everyday faith in action and for him Elijah a key spokesman for God, was human just like us.

 

Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't--not a drop for three and a half years. (James 5:17

 

 Learning Patience

 

Patience “ Tolerent and even-tempered perseverance”

 

As we think about Elijah, patience is not necessarily the first word that comes into your head to describe Elijah. Yet clearly patience was very evident in his life.  Patience is demonstrated:

 

• In Prayer

James 5 .17 tells us that Elijah prayed that there would be no rain, and there was none. What James highlights about Elijah is that he was a man who was righteous, ie he was in a right relationship with God. Prayer is not magical thing, but true and effective prayer arises from a relationship with God. After three and a half years Elijah prayed that it would rain and it did.

 

I’m sure that in the time of drought there must have been many times when Elijah wanted to pray for rain to come. He was told by God that it would not be for a long time. He had to be patient. Rain came when God determined it would 1 Kings 17.14. Again Elijah was instrumental in his prayer for the rain to come James 5.18.

We learn patience as we work with god’s timings and not our own.

 

• In Hardship

Elijah in praying for the rain to stop, brought hardship upon himself. He initially lived out in the wild, being fed by wild birds. He then had to take up lodgings with a widow 1 Kings 17.9. Being God’s key human representative on the face of the earth was no easy task and bringing hardship upon the nation was not the most popular move 1 kings 18.17.

 

• In Community

Community life in Elijah’s day was in a desperate place. There were those who worshipped Yahweh the God of Israel and of the Bible, there were others who worshipped Baal the Canaanite god of fertility who was believed to control the elements particularly rain. Patience on the part of Elijah was called for and then it was time for the true God to be found and confronting the false god and false prophets was the chosen way.

 

Elijah went up to the people and said, "How much longer will it take you to make up your minds? If the LORD is God, worship him; but if Baal is God, worship him!" But the people didn't say a word. Then Elijah said, "I am the only prophet of the LORD still left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. Bring two bulls; let the prophets of Baal take one, kill it, cut it in pieces, and put it on the wood---but don't light the fire. I will do the same with the other bull. Then let the prophets of Baal pray to their god, and I will pray to the LORD, and the one who answers by sending fire---he is God." The people shouted their approval. (1 Kings 18:21-24)

 

God demonstrated his power in an amazing way and Yahweh the God of Israel was recognized to be the true God.

 

• The challenge is for us to allow others to know that there is another way of living and that discovering the true God can set us free from so many things that will rule our own lives.

 

• We are also called to be salt and light in our communities, that means applauding that which is good and resisting that which is evil

 

God Exercising Patience

 

Please answer me, so these people will know that you are the LORD God, and that you will turn their hearts back to you. The LORD immediately sent fire, and it burned up the sacrifice, the wood, and the stones. It scorched the ground everywhere around the altar and dried up every drop of water in the ditch. When the crowd saw what had happened, they all bowed down and shouted, "The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"

(1 Kings 18:37-39)

 

• It’s incredible the lengths that god will go to in order that people may enter into a relationship with God. This sacrifice was eclipsed by the amazing sacrifice of God himself for us. See what Paul writes

 

God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won't he freely give us everything else?

(Romans 8:32)

 

 

God’s Challenge for US

• So what will we do?. God shows incredible patience to us and longs for us to embrace his love. For any readers as yet not Christians why not consider just who god truly is , and having done so welcome him into your lives.
• For those already Christ Followers – Christians the challenge is to be able to exercise patience , so that we work with God’s agenda and not our own

For Small Groups 1 Kings 17.15, 1Kings 18.36-46

 

1. Take time sharing any new things God has been saying to you, and any opportunities God has given to share his love.
2. Elijah provides helpful insight into effective praying. What is the key. See also James 5.16-20.
3. God remarkably provides for Elijah, have we had to learn patience with God’s provision?
4. How do we know when it’s the right time to do something within our community, are their things that God is calling us to battle against?
5. Consider the remarkable patience of God with us. Spend time worshipping God and praying for others for whom you long for them to experience God’s love.
6. Spend time waiting upon the Lord and be open to god speaking into your life.