“Lord, I’ve done all you asked of me. But now the leader over me wants me to stop.” “I am perplexed, heartbroken for the people you sent me to serve.” “Lies have been told about me as his close advisors tell him that the progress made according to your leading me has become a threat to him.”  “Lord, a person of influence in the organization related to me that I was asked to come here to make the leader look good.”

He was not expecting all this mentoring, training and empowering of new leaders while encouraging the current leaders.  He did not like my openness to share goals with the people I was serving and helping or to be open with all the details of ministry—which was my habit.  “So, Lord, what now? From the nursery, to children, to youth and adult discipleship a groundwork was laid.  I had to work fast for I felt in my heart that time was fleeting.  Then came the overwhelming feeling caused by the stress of pleasing the will of God that did not please the leader.  I called out to God, “I no longer want to be here for I do not a fit this model of ministry, please help me.”  Then the whisper came, “You time is finished; I am sending you to another place with a new plan.”  “Know that I will be with you and take care of you”. 

A new hours later, I was called into the leader’s office with two of his people standing on either side of him.  “You do not seem to fit here,” were his first words which actually affirmed me!  Never being fired in my life, I smiled because God was still calling the shots and in control of this awkward situation.  I responded, “You are right, and praise God I do not fit here.” “So, never being fired before what’s next? Can I get what I brought and go home now and just leave asap?  All the while I knew without a doubt that God was in control and orchestrating every move.  Within 36 hours our purchased home was sold, to a couple in our small group cash in hand—along with a donation to the new ministry that God was newly forming our minds!  How did they know?  Only God.  Nobody but God does the miraculous like this!  There were many people who came to help us load the truck and move back home.

At first, I questioned why God sent us to a place where the people smiled but the leaders frowned.  But pondering the great challenge that it was, lessons were learned, leaders got a glimpse of the power of God who works in all kinds of ways—perfect ways. I have no regrets in following God’s leading even when it’s hard. I fully relied on God then and I still do.  I’ve been “under the broom tree” more than once wondering what will happen next—then I hear the still, small voice of God. He cares for me while I trust and obey. There is no God like our God!

Religious leaders of Jesus’ day thought they had gotten rid of him as he certainly did not fit their lifestyle of oppressing people who God wanted to rescue.  But after manipulating the Romans to crucify Jesus on a cross of humiliation—three days later…everything changed for the world who believed!  It all fit into God’s Plan to redeem the world, once and for all, all the sins of the world.  The Way, Truth, Life who is now Hope rose from the grave with the promise of life eternal!  What God promises; He delivers and fulfills in every detail—Jesus is the proof! 

Elijah, prophet of God, speaks the WORD of the Lord, God to leaders still worshiping Baal.  Here’s how God took care of his beloved.

1 Kings 19

Elijah Flees to Horeb

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

³ Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹¹ The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 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?”

¹⁴ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. ¹⁶ Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷ Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. ¹⁸ Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

The Call of Elisha

¹⁹ So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. ²⁰ Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

²¹ So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Ministry is marching right into enemy territory and declaring who God is with how great He is!  Ministry in entering the frontlines with the power of God leading us so that His created can be rescued from the Enemy by Jesus’ act of redemption!  We see how real ministry must be led by the heart of God.  In the middle of it all we are blessed to see how God works!  In one moment God displayed his power, and Elijah triumphed over the prophets of Baal. In the next, God’s prophet ran for his life from Jezebel who sought revenge. He hid in the desert.  A natural human response!

But we also learn of the compassion of God who cares for the ones he calls, equips, and sends.  God cares for his servants in both moments of triumph and defeat. He remains ever-present with those who trust him.  This is the central lesson we learn today!

Are you facing a life challenge? Are you discouraged and wondering why circumstances have suddenly taken a turn for the worse? Where is God? Run to God to help you! Everywhere, anytime, God has resources to help you.  May our first response to troubles, perplexing situations, and trials of judgement by others be God.

Get alone with God, cry out to Him, for He has heard it all. There is nothing we cannot say to God!  If fact, God already knows us by name, knows what we are going through, but he requires us to call out to Him by our own free will and choice to do so.  Then God responds—in a million different ways—until our need of Him is met by Him.  This response from God begins with our surrender to God.

Two Psalms of David guide me to God who puts me back in tune to hear and feel the harmonies of His will and purpose.  The first Psalm tells me what to do—Be still.  Probably the hardest response in my life is to first be still!  This is a discipline required to acquire, however!  Why?  Because radical overthinking can close our inner hearing to the whispers of God.  But God does not give up on us. He beckons us to come and be still and know that He is God. 

“He says, “Be still, and; know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11

This response of being still precedes the holiness we seek from God. Be still means to let go of our thoughts over the current situation, the people involved, our judgmental assumptions and presumptions and surrender to Almighty God who is with us and knows exactly what we need when we need it most.

Psalm 143 bathes my troubled soul in the truth of who God is and what He does to rescues us as a demonstration of His love for us.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.  In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes,
    for I am your servant.  Psalm 143:8;12

God is our sovereign authority.  Our response to our God is to trust and obey Him.

Lord,

Thank you for the broom tree story that once again reminds us your provision through good times and challenging times that teach us to know you more.  From ashes to beauty, we see how our story fits into your story of redemption and restoration. Thank you for being with us always!  I’m yours. And yes, I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen