God Pause for Monday, 8/4/2014
/Luther Seminary God Pause
Monday, 8/4/2014 Reading: 1 Kings 19:9-18
Just before sitting down to write this devotion, I was trying to share a friend's post on our Facebook page about an upcoming event in our ministry, but when I clicked "post," I received a message that said, "This post is private and does not have public status."
This week's texts are all about a call to public proclamation--God's intended call to be public with our faith, not private. You might call it the E-word, but in these texts, God has a mission for us--a rescue mission.
Elijah is worn out. He's done all that God has instructed him to do, and now his is a wanted life. Ready to give up, in desperation Elijah, nonetheless, seeks God's instructions just one more time. And he finds God's voice not in the obvious loud places of his life, but in the silence. There God does not abandon him, but leads him out on a rescue mission, sends him to bring God's people salvation. There's nothing private about that.
Rescuing God, you call your people from the quiet spaces of our lives to encounter those who are in bondage. May we be bold to publicly profess this Word of saving grace, the very grace that rescued us. Amen.
Elizabeth Reinking Pastor and Mission Developer, The Bridge Market and Faith Community, St. Charles, Mo. Master of Divinity, 2013
1 Kings 19:9-18 (NRSV)
9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away." 11 He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away." 15 Then the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."
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