Notes from Elijah's journey
Notes from Elijah's journey [1 Kings 19]
1. Obedience
2. Death threats - unfounded, Satanic, wicked, unjust, by bad leaders and their company
3. FLEEING
Running away - the fleeing - like David's caves,
4. FEARFUL FEELINGS
Feelings of hopelessness, depression, questioning - despairing even of life - like Paul [1 Cor 1:8]
5. PRACTICAL PROVISION of GOD incl food, rest, solitude; God's care in the details
6. INSTRUCTIONS ALONG THE WAY
God leads Eljiah to himself in the pain, gives instructions along the way, instructions that we are to obey along the way
7. God's QUESTIONS and OUR CONFESSIONS
We hear Questions from God that lead to our confessions of love, vows of passionate commitment to Him
like the cries of the bride in Song of Solomon; God and we - get to the heart of things, keeping 1st things 1st [First love language]
conversations from God - God initiates, probes, even asks us questions
This leads to confessions of love, of intention, getting the heart - the WHY, deep inside
8. LOVED IN WEAKNESS In love, He bears with us
God allows even for our misinterpretations, he can handle it
i.e. "I'm the only one!" : it was not true, but God let him say it
We see this in Job, Job asks, will God rebuke me? no he will not overpower me; He could, but he won't,
He will be my good Judge and acquit me forever! [Job 23]
He will hear me! He will receive me! [Psalm 49] Pour out your hearts to him! [Psalm 62]
We must have courage - confidence to enter the most holy place [Heb 10]
He loves us, protects us, affirms us, even in our process along the way to perfection
[Phil 3] not that I already have attained all of this or have already been made perfect
We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed but of those who have faith and are saved [again, Heb 10]
9. We meet with God face to face, as he beckons us it is to intimacy that he leads us
I meet with You face to face as You beckon me.
10. God does not abandon us
instead he uses our pain to direct us to himself
to grow in knowledge of God and fear and relationship with Him
He calls us to relationship RELATIONSHIP with HIM in it
We know him in our suffering, like Paul [Phil 3] Share in it, and become like him
11. the NECESSITY OF WAITING
Eljiah waited upon God - the necessity of waiting, lingering, persisting, standing still, be still and know
12. LET THINGS CALM DOWN - [Give things time, allow for circumstances to be beyond us]
He found God once things had calmed down, as he waited quietly, silence, sabbath, solitude retreat- come away wait for God
Wait until the storms of destruction pass by, and psalm 46 - Again, give things time
13. He found God in the sound of a still whisper, wait for God - Let God decide when, where and why
we should not underestimate God's ability to surprise us, to do all things well
14. There is repetition, a review. going over, lingering. meditating. asking and affirming. a repetition of deep unto deep, deep calling unto deep
Psalm 46 - deep cries out to deep at the roar of your waterfall, all your waves and breakers have swept over me
a cementing of the Words of God to a man to an individual. to me; a strengthening; iron sharpens iron [Prov 27]
15. REINSTATE OUR VOWS our allegiance to Jesus. Eljiah repeats his passions to God. His gift. His call. His vows. His intentions.
To stay w/ God. To fight for God. God provides in the cave. A place, to come away and to say all that he needs to say.
He doesn't explain it away but says, Elijah, it's ok., and for Elijah, provides a place
16. GOD GIVES NEXT STEPS
God gives insight, instruction, practical next steps, to Elijah. Amen. Intel. Insights. new instructions. what to do. what to do.
and transition. leads him to pass on. authority, ministry. to give
17. WE LEAVE, now ALIGNED WITH GOD
God answers Elijah's questions, and corrects him, but in love and mercy. redirects him.
In time, God's time, as we wait, we become aligned to the will of God in Christ.
The journey has served its purpose. God has accomplished in it all he intended to accomplish in us, for us, through us
