New Purpose from an Encounter with God
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 19: 1 - 18 (NIV)
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2So 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.”
3Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4while 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.” 5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6He 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.
7The 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.” 8So 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. 9There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10He 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.”
11The 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. 12After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13When 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?”
14He 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.”
15The 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. 16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Message: New Purpose from an Encounter with God
Mental challenges
It is said that 1 in 4 people suffer from a mental disorder
Numbers allocated to everyone - all #1’s stand up…
Let’s just allow that number to sink in - mental illness is all around us
Yet we don’t talk about it - it is stigmatized and suppressed
We are just coming out of a pandemic - social restrictions, anxiety, imbalance of lifestyle
Before we look at the story of Elijah - please seek help if you feel that you have a mental challenge
I don’t think there is anyone alive that will not experience a mental challenge sometime in their life - the question is what happens when it comes - how do I respond to what is happening to me mentally?
WHO guidelines to good mental health:
- Be informed about mental health
- Have health routines in life
- Minimize news feeds
- Work on heathy social interactions
- Limit alcohol and drug use
- Manage screen time
- Be conscious about what video games you play
- Be careful of the negative effects of social media and misinformation
- Help others
- Support health workers
Elijah’s depression
We often sing the song “Days of Elijah” - it is an upbeat song that tells the story of God working through Elijah
God did do wonderful things through his prophet Elijah - Mount Carmel (statue of Elijah)
Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table
Miraculously, Elijah defeated them - one of the greatest public victories in the name of God ever
But Elijah was overcome with fear - and that fear lead to depression
Under the broom bush Elijah said to the Lord: “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.”
The Broom Bush - a place where we don’t want to be, but somehow land up being at in life…
God’s intervention
God intervenes - because God hears when his children calls out to Him
The story of God’s intervention in Elijah’s depression is the story of God’s intervention in the lives of his children…
He sends an angel to feed Elijah - because our physical needs are often connected to our mental problems
God sends Elijah on a journey from the wilderness of Beersheba to the mount Horeb (about 400km) - because sometimes we just need to get out of the environment we find ourselves in to find new perspective
God asks Elijah: “What are you doing here?” - because sometimes we need to think about why we are here and what the purpose of life is
God calls Elijah to go and stand on the mountain so that he might meet the Lord - sometimes we need to get out to go and meet God
God meets Elijah, not in the spectacular of fire or earthquake or wind, but in whispering silence - because sometimes we seek God in the wrong places while He is right there with us… we just need to be quiet enough to feel his presence
God gives Elijah a new command: go and anoint two new kings and a new prophet - because sometimes we need a new purpose in life or just for our purpose to be renewed (“go back”)
God addresses the lies of Elijah’s self-pity by showing him that he is not alone as he complained that he is the only one left - sometimes God needs to show us that our situation is not as dire as we feel it is in the heat of the moment
So Elijah returns to being what God called him to be - God’s prophet
Encounter with God and a (re-)New(ed) purpose
Our cries for help to God in our mental challenges will never go unheard
God will respond in many different ways
He will send angels to feed us, He will take us on journeys, He will help us think why we are here, He will call us out to meet Him, He will surprise us with his presence in the gentle whispers of silence, He will direct or redirect our lives, and He will correct our inner-dialogue
Hear the story of Elijah - know that God hears you when you cry out for help
Be on the look out for God’s response
He will come - you will have an encounter with Him that will change your life
You will find new or renewed purpose from encountering the living God!
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