My Place and My Priorities

6.16.2011

1 Kings 19:13 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” NIV

In a time when Israel had left God, there was one man who stood in the gap for them: Elijah. Elijah lived a faithful but confrontational life as he stood against the evil in his nation fueled by the lifestyles of Israel’s king (Ahab) and his wicked bride (Jezebel). Elijah mourned that his people, God’s people, had left their love for God, and now worshiped Baal – a pagan god of fertility.

Elijah confronted the leadership of Ahab and in doing so received a death threat from queen Jezebel. When this happened Elijah fled for his life and ended up at Mt. Horeb (Sinai) on the Arabian Peninsula. When he got there, tired, confused, depressed, and afraid, God appeared to him and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” A simple question demanding a very truthful response.

Today, where are you, and what are you doing there? Are you serving God? Are you zealous for righteousness and God’s people? What are you doing there? Are you being effective in what God has called you to do? Or do you feel alone, confused, depressed, and afraid? God’s question to Elijah was partly, where are you but also, why are you where you are? God had work for Elijah to do and if Elijah mourned for God’s people, imagine how God felt about them as they substituted the Real Deal for a sham… Now was not the time for Elijah to throw a pity party.

Ministry is tough and tiring but so is plain old everyday life. If I’m to spend my energy and effort living and getting tired in the process, I ought to at least consider to what am I giving all of my energy and effort. This passage makes me think about my place and my priorities today. Am I living a life for God with all of its pressures and stress – or just living for myself pretending that my pressures and stresses aren’t taking a toll on me? What are you doing here, child?

Father in Heaven,
You know where I am but You ask me, how I am. Father, today I ask for strength to live as You direct and to beware of wasting my life trying to manage just my own situation and circumstances. Help me to live wholly and solely for You – amen.