Elijah - A Flawed “Super Hero”

 

                                                      

Much of Elijah’s life presents like that of a Biblical  superhero. He was fed by ravens during a time of drought.  God caused the widow’s limited supply of flour and oil to last until the drought ended. When the widow’s son died, Elijah prayed and the boy was restored to life.  Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, and the Lord sent fire from heaven.  Elijah prayed for rain, and God sent rain to end the drought.

If the Biblical narrative  ended there we would have viewed Elijah not only as a man of great faith but also as a “superhero “ of the Bible.

But the narrative does not end there. After the victory on Mount Carmel and the miraculous rain from heaven, we next see Elijah overcome with fear as he learns that Jezebel has threatened his life.  Elijah runs for his life then sits under a broom tree, wanting to die.

Why was this account included in Scripture? It would have made for a better story if the people of Jezreel welcomed Elijah home with a parade in his honor, then he lived happily ever after! The Bible, however , is not a book about superheroes  but about real men and women. And real men and women, no matter how godly, falter at times. 

God’s response to Elijah is precious. As Elijah sat under the broom tree, discouraged and dejected, God did not scold him for his unbelief. Instead, God tenderly gave him food to eat and water to drink, then allowed him to rest under the tree.  

The Lord then led him to Mount Horeb where He revealed Himself to Elijah.  He did so not through wind or earthquake or fire.  The powerful God of the universe chose to meet Elijah in “a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12). When Elijah was at his lowest point physically, emotionally and spiritually, God reached out to him with tender mercy and kindness.

No, the Bible is not about superheroes whose lives we futilely strive to imitate.   It is about a God who works through everyday men and women . It is about a God who knows our frailty and loves us anyway.

Yes, I do enjoy reading about how the ravens fed Elijah by the brook and how the widow’s son was restored to life and how fire came down on Mount Carmel. But  for me,  the best part of the story is  when the Sovereign God of the Universe reached down and tenderly cared for Elijah at his weakness moment, then gently restored him back to wholeness.  

A Cheerful Greeting

                                                               

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up bones.” Proverbs 17:22(NIV)

“And how are you on this fine day?”  Those words were spoken by a MacDonald’s server. She looked each customer in the eye and greeted each person with warmth.

At that time, I was working in home health. Often, I would go into a fast food restaurant, grab a cup of coffee, and work on notes. I was having a bad day.  I don’t remember the specifics, but I do remember feeling weary, discouraged, and stressed. As I stood in line, I listened to the server greeting each successive customer. My mood began to lift and my stress began to decline. When it was my turn to be served, I could honestly say, “I am doing just fine. Thanks for asking”.

Ten years have passed since that day, but whenever I drive past that MacDonalds I still remember the server. I often wonder why I would think about someone whom I encountered so briefly so long ago. Every day, we all interact with strangers in restaurants, stores, and other places of business. Most employees have been trained to say “How are you?” and “Have a good day”. Many times, these words are spoken mindlessly, but this server sounded sincere. She seemed to view each customer as an individual. On that particular day, I needed someone to look me in the eye and to greet me with warmth. Perhaps, because my day was so dark, her greeting seemed to be so bright. It was a brief moment. I wouldn’t say that it was life changing, but it did change one day of my life. 

It also impacted the way I interact with the strangers I encounter in restaurants, stores, and other places of business. I will never know the details of their lives. I will never know their joys or hopes or heartaches. But I do know that the person behind the counter is precious in God’s eyes. I can’t change that person’s life, but I can choose to look the person in the eye when I speak to them. I can choose to speak kindly and cheerfully as I conduct my business. Even a little warmth on an ordinary day may be enough to lift a mood or decrease a stress level. In a small way, a warm greeting on an ordinary day can communicate the love of God to a stranger.

Growth

                                                                      

The little girl stands tall as her grandmother holds a ruler on her head, marks the wall, and writes today’s date. The child excitedly looks at the mark.  How much has she grown since last year? Some years the line moves up a little, other years it moves up a lot. But every year, the child grows. A healthy child is a growing child. 

For most of us, physical growth ended years ago.  But other areas of growth have no expiration date.  We are never too old to learn. We are never too old to change. For Christians, we are never too old to grow in our walk with the Lord.

As I entered my senior years, I found an unlikely Bible verse to be an encouragement.  2Corinthians 4:16  says: “ Do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” As we age, our body parts become weaker. Some of us even require replacement parts! At the same time, this season in life can also be a time of rich spiritual growth as we seek the Lord day by day. Our spiritual growth has no expiration date - no matter how many candles are on the cake or how many body parts have been replaced! Let us celebrate our walk with the Lord that only grows richer as time goes on.