long winded post on elijah

it's friday people! for some reason i was in a serious mood today and thought i would share my deep thoughts with you's.

it's a long one, grab your coffee and i hope you can stay awake...haha!

My take on Elijah.

So Elijah hears that Jezebel wants him dead after he did what god wanted him to do (he took care of the prophets of Baal.) Jeze not just threaten to kill Elijah but totally has the means/power to actually do this.

So Eli is scared and runs away. He goes into the desert. Ok, I personally can think of like a million other places to run away to but no, Eli goes to the hot, dry and windy desert. He traveled by foot so he would also be super tired, hot and even more discouraged by the time he found that tree to sit under. I wonder what his thoughts were as he walked; I imagine they would not be the positive type. There under that tree (note there was 1 tree…could god had provided that for him, knowing he would need it??) Eli decided to quit and ask god to kill him.

Then Eli falls asleep, during his sleep an angel wakes him up and tells him to eat. Voila, out of no where a bottle/jug of water is there and hot bread. Eli eats and goes back to sleep.

Ok, if this was me I would be wondering the following:
- Who just woke me up?
-Where did this food come from?

Then the angel wakes him up again and tells him to eat more bec he’s gonna go on a little journey.

Again, I would be wondering:

-Who are you?
-Where did this food come from?
-Where am I going?

Eli eats, drinks and then travels for 40 days and 40 nights to Sinai… a.k.a god’s mountain. Ok, that must have been one crazy meal for him to eat; I know I have to eat every few hrs….but 40 days? hummmm

So Eli’s at god’s mountain and there is … voila a cave. Eli sleeps, then god talks to him. And asks him “whatcha going Eli?” (like god doesn’t already know)

Then Eli tells him “god, I love you and I have served you for so long, and I have given you everything I have, I have done my best, but the ppl who are suppose to be helping me serve you suck and they give me more of a problem instead of helping me. I am alone, and my helpers are giving me a huge head ache” (ok, not exactly but you get the point)

Then god tells him to go stand before god on the mountain. So Eli does and out of no where a mighty windstorm hits.
Ummm yeah, you even been in a wind storm? Not fun. Eli stays in the cave and watches (I would be)
Then a earth quake hits. Ok, seriously. An earth quake. Does Eli go? No. he stays.
Then a fire starts. Hello. A HOT FIRE. Eli is still in the cave.

Maybe Eli thought this was god’s way of taking him up on his offer to kill him? Or
Maybe he knew that god would never do that and instead stood waiting for god to tell him what to do.

Then a whisper. A tiny, softy and you must listen very closely or you will miss it whisper……Eli then covers his face and goes to the entrance of the cave…..why? to hear god for himself.

With all the distractions that were thrown at him, the storm, earthquake and fire, Eli hears a whisper.

Then god asks him “dude, why are you here?”

Then Eli repeats the same story “god, I love you and I have served you for so long, and I have given you everything, I have done my best, but the ppl who are suppose to be helping me serve you suck and they are driving me crazy. I am alone, and my helpers suck”

Then god tells him *gasp* “go back to where you came from, go to the wilderness” again, a wilderness? Not a fun place to travel through.

Then god gives him specific instructions on what to do when he gets there…something like this

-go anoint Jehu to be king of Israel
-anoint Elisha to replace himself as prophet
-god will preserve 7000 other Israelites who HAVE NEVER bowed to Baal

So the whole point to this story is this:

When you are serving god and doing what he has told you to do, you will be discouraged (especially after a victory) and may get some fear. Don’t give in and think you are all alone, you are not (remember 7000 ppl). And if you do quit and run god is so great that he will even provide for you.

Sometimes I wonder what Eli could have done for god if he did not run, hide and give his job over to Elisha.

Posted by mel at 4:18 PM