I was being all hipster and all, taking sermon notes on my iPhone and in one accidental click, it all erased and I couldn't find an "edit, undo" button.
The sermon had me quietly sobbing in my seat for only a minute and then just uncontrollable tears that made no sound at all. I tried so very hard to hold it in but they just burst out like a freshly broken dam. It's okay, it was probably only slightly awkward for those around ;)
Life brings things that are not in line with what we planned. We may not even know we have a plan, but we do, and often times it's never the worst that could happen. Why would we live life that way? We may fear it or anxiety sets in when we let our minds go there, but we never really plan for it, especially with our kids.
"God is constant when everything and everyone else changes". Pastor Dean Fulks.
Simple and so true. Friendships change when we didn't plan for them to, health changes when we always hoped we'd or they'd stay healthy, looks change as we get older no matter how hard we try stay healthy and young.
1 Kings 18:16-39. The story of Elijah and the Prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah followed Yahweh while they worshiped the many gods of Baal. Gods of fertility, gods of the weather, etc. All who could never bring what only Yahweh can or could.
Elijah boldly stated to their leader, Ahab, 18 "I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
And Elijah, quite confident in the God he served and obeying God, puts the Prophets of Baal to a test.
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get
two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and
let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to
it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set
fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
They cried out to their gods begging for the fire to come.
Elijah, kinda mocking the prophets of Baal says in verses 27-29 things like , "Well, maybe your god is asleep! Maybe he went off somewhere and you need to find him, maybe he had to relieve himself." All of these things are similar to human nature. Needing something: sleep, to go to the bathroom, take a break, etc.
Thankfully, although God did make himself in human form through Jesus (for the good of us, not a need of His own), Yahweh has no needs so we need not worry about Him leaving for anything. Our God is constant.
God showed up, performing a miracle as Elijah believed, praying on the mountain top asking for God to send down fire and that he did!
This leads to the part where pastor Dean talked about miracles and it's kind of a sensitive subject to me now that I am praying for one in my son.
I should start by saying, C.S. Lewis was quoted on Twitter- "Miracles do not, in fact, break the laws of nature." and I could not figure out for the life of me what it meant. It felt so scientific but then my pastor said, "Miracles are a reminder of how the world out to be and someday will be." and the C.S. Lewis quote all of a sudden made sense.
And I kind of lost it...I lost it because so many people use these terms, "That's just how God created that person." or "That is just God's will for their life." And I get it because, I once thought the same thing before
I had a son who lost his health. I thought that sickness and disease
were just part of God's will for some people's lives. I look at my son, seizing and regressing from what and who he once was and no way in heck would I ever say, "This is God's will for him." The thought alone makes me ill.
God's will was the Garden of Eden when everything was without sin and God's will is heaven, what will be. Right now, we are living with the sin that came into the world which brings sickness, chaos and much need for God's redemption and for goodness sake the return of our Savior! Today, Jesus?! Is it today?! ;)
God uses our brokenness and disease for good. God has His timing and His plan which is perfect. So, we wait for that in Zeke's healing when God graciously shows His glory through it! Maybe you wait for that in someone you know?
But a miracle in Zeke will not bring salvation. No, Jesus's sacrifice and accepting it for ourselves does.
All of you reading this should know that miracles are great and God does use them and still performs them today but as Pastor Dean said it so well, "Knowing God personally is way better than seeing God miraculously."
And knowing God personally and asking Him to reveal more of himself is a fantastic way to live because He desires for things to be made new or, His kingdom to come. In you, me, and everyone else.
Some become new in their hearts as they turn to Jesus, some in their health as sickness is wiped away. And I look forward to the day when we see Zeke made new! I look forward to the day we all are! Daily, being molded more into who we were created to be, in the image of God. What a humbling thought.
Pray believing! Don't pray unsure if God hears you! He totally does!
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