If you knew me when...

"…And the Father who knows all hearts…causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son…" Rom 8:28-29

Maya Angelou is a very interesting woman. She's a celebrated author and poet, earning many awards and recognitions. She worked for Martin Luther King Jr during the civil rights movement, was a freedom fighter in Ghana, traveled the world in theatre, and currently is a professor here in North Carolina.
Oprah hails her…
President Clinton invited her to speak at his inauguration…
The list goes on and on.
So reading the first installments of her autobiographies was quiet a surprise.
She and her brother were raised by their grandmother, because neither parent really wanted to be bothered by the hassle of children.
When she was 7 she was raped and after she told her family, the man's body was found beaten to death. She felt it was because she'd told the truth that this man was murdered, and chose not to speak for a year.
At 16 she became an unwed mother. To support herself she did any job possible- including dancing in bars, prostitution and becoming a madam.
Knowing where this woman is now in her life, it surprised me to find out her life began so humbly
I wonder how others saw her then. Did they have any idea who she would be in 2006? Looking at her in the 1940's and 1950's did they have any idea what lay before her? Or did they simply see the dancer? The cast away child? The whore? The teenage mother?
I think about my own pastor. At 36, he's recently finished his PHD. He's started a growing thriving church from scratch. He has a loving wife and 5 beautiful children. But what did people think of him 20 years ago when he was in jail? When he was selling drugs? When he was smoking crack? When people looked at him did they have any idea who he would become? Or did they simply count him as lost?
It's easy in the here and now to see a snapshot of time of a person's life and think that is all they will ever be. They have nothing to offer the Kingdom.
People thought Jeremiah was crazy.
Hosea was a fool with a cheating wife.
Saul was a persecutor of Christians.
Jesus was disregarded because he was from Nazareth
Oh, if the people could only see who they were to the kingdom.

When we see the crack addict on Franklin street, whom are we really seeing?
When we see the teenage mother in Siler City, whom are we really seeing?
When we see the orphaned child in Swaziland, whom are we really seeing?
When we see the demonically oppressed woman in Brazil, whom are we really seeing?


If we only knew what lie ahead in their lives, would we treat them differently? With more love? With more compassion? With more understanding? With more grace?

More importantly, if we knew what lie ahead in our own lives would we treat ourselves differently? With more love? With more compassion? With more understanding? With more grace?

...and you're only human too.

I've been re-reading parts of 1 Kings today. I believe the Lord showed me something interesting in chapter 19.
Elijah is coming off of a marathon of God's power.
There was the showdown with all of the prophets of Baal. God rains down fire and consumes Elijah's offering.
Power.
Elijah orders the prophets to be killed and not one escapes his death.
Power.
He prays for the drought to end, and the rains pour.
Power.
He's given the strength to run ahead of Ahab's chariot the six miles to Jazreel.
Power.
But once in Jazreel, he begins to feel he's the only one left doing god's will, and Jezebel's threats cause him to flee. God meets him in the wilderness and orders him to Mt. Sinai.
There in the cave, Elijah meets with God again.
I wonder how Elijah heard God's voice. Coming off of a stretch of God's righteous anger and destruction of the wicked, I can't help but think Elijah would hear God with a authoritative, voice of disappointment because of his fear of one woman.
I wonder if he heard God scolding him:

But the LORD said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (vs.9)

And in his exhaustion and mental state of despair, he'd answer:
"I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." (vs.10)

He'd feel as if the whole world has gone astray and he's the only one left fighting the war of a million foot soldiers.

He'd hear God's curt reply, "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," (vs11)
Elijah is obedient.
And there, God unleashes the power that Elijah expects.


And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose,

POWER!

but the LORD was not in the wind. (Vs11)

After the wind there was an earthquake,

POWER!!

but the LORD was not in the earthquake. (Vs12)

And after the earthquake there was a fire,

POWER!!!!

but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper… (Vs13)

I'm sure standing in the mist of the windstorm, the fire, the earthquake; Elijah felt he was going to experience the wrath of God. And yet God was not found in the windstorm, the fire, or the earthquake. He was found in the tenderness of a whisper.

When Elijah heard it, he humbly wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave, and he heard God's voice again. Although it's the same question, I imagine he heard it with a new gentleness he hadn't expected.

And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (Vs13)

Perhaps a lone tear stained his cheek. With a contrite heart this time, in meekness and humility he would answer:

"I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." (Vs14)

Then the LORD told him, "Go back the way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I will preserve seven thousand others in Israel who have never bowed to Baal or kissed him!

And in that statement God showed him he was not alone. He had thousands of others who were true to God's word, and hope was not lost. In addition, He was appointing others to continue the work Elijah was doing, (Elisha and Jehu) and could even use the work of the enemy (Hazael) to bring about his purpose.


I feel some of y'all need to hear this. Serving so passionately as you do has left a mark of exhaustion. You're feeling isolated, with a heavy burden, as if all of the responsibility of life and is lying on your shoulders. But you almost feel ashamed to approach God with this heavy burden- afraid he will scold you for not having enough faith in His power.
He is tender and merciful. He will remind you of that side of Himself. He will open your eyes to see the "seven thousand others is Israel who have never bowed to Baal" He will show you your Elisha, your Jehu, even your Hazael.

Peace of Christ be with you,
Christy Elaine

I'm only human

Ex 17:
8 Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 10 Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

I love this passage. I truely shows the human side of Moses, and how the body of Christ should function together.
I guess so often we look at Moses and see some Holy man of God. And rightfully so. He saw God pass by, he recorded the 10 commandments, he made the Red sea part. Those are very cool things that I'm sure I'll never experience.
And sometimes we hear a sermon about how he'd been a murderer "back then" but then he's changed and was a holy man, "god- can- use- you- too-even- if- you're- flawed.blah blah blah."
But this story happened in the mist of all his Holyness.
He was truely human. You think he'd have some super-human strength that would let him keep his arms up forever, - but no. He got weak just like the rest of us would. so what happened? In his weakness his two friends literally held his arms up so God glory could be done. That is awesome! And it's so encouraging to know that when I'm weak I don't have to do it all on my own.