Dear Hubby,
At this
time of your 70th birthday, I couldn’t find a Hallmark greeting with
the sentiments I wish to share; so, this post is your “card.” It starts out
very un-like a Hallmark though (and perhaps fails to do so overall—oh well).
The
biblical account of Elijah on Mount Carmel is one of your favorites—the prophet
challenging King Ahab to prove his and his wife’s god, Baal, was the true one.
Of course, they and their hundreds of prophets could not.
Elijah
would prove to them God was God, and that’s just what happened. Baal did not
produce fire to burn the sacrifice on his altar, and nothing—absolutely
nothing—the false prophets did succeeded because, to put it bluntly, Baal did
not even exist.
Next: Moses’
turn and wow! What had up till then been an all-day wait happened quickly.
Elijah prayed to God to reign down fire on the totally saturated altar and dug-out
area around it.
God did
what seemed impossible. Not only was the sacrifice on the alter consumed but so
were the rocks and all the water!
I
remembered what happened after this account, but I forgot the timing of all prior.
Jumping
back a chapter, I reread about God directing Elijah to go into the wilderness,
camp by the brook Cherith, and let God provide for him in a time when severe
drought had come upon the promised land because of the people’s unbelief.
God
tells Elijah that He directed ravens to feed him.
Ravens?
Really? Dirty birds? Defiled in the eyes of the Jews?
Yes.
I might
have wondered about my meals being delivered by filthy foul, but Elijah obeyed,
and God kept His promise. Elijah drank from the brook and enjoyed his bread and
meat in the morning and again in the evening. Every day until the brook dried
up.
Then God
told Elijah the next step to take.
How
interesting that what followed involved a widow and her son who didn’t have
enough food for themselves yet alone to share with Elijah, as he instructed of
them. But, hadn’t God just proven He provides—even by dirty-bird delivery?
Fresh on full-stomached Elijah’s mind was the fact God does what He says (and I
wonder if he smiled at the memory of those birds).
Minus
the dirty birds this time, God provides all the ingredients the widow needs to
feed the three of them.
Then the
woman’s only child dies.
What
does God do? Answers Elijah’s prayer for The Almighty to raise the child (and
I’m sure the boy’s mother cried out to God for this also). I don’t believe the
prophet was shy asking God such a huge request. After all, he knew God could do
anything by any means.
Next,
God sends Elijah on another mission—all this prior to the prophet’s meeting
with Ahab on Mount Carmel where God does the miracle mentioned earlier.
Imagine
the stunned on-lookers on the mount. Even the false prophets had to admit there
was a true God, and that wasn’t Baal.
But the
enemy detests being proven wrong, so he makes sure Elijah’s courage flees along
with him when that no-good, evil, crazed woman, Queen Jezebel, sets out to take
care of that man of God who just caused her to lose face, not to mention all
her false prophets who were slain.
But God
shows up to minister to Elijah—quietly. Asking questions to help Elijah.
Counseling him. God knew Elijah was exhausted from ministry. And Jehovah Jireh,
Who not only ordered dirty birds to deliver meals to meet Elijah’s physical
needs, now ministered to his emotional and spiritual ones too. He also told
Elijah it was time to pass the mantle. Retire. Elisha’s turn.
Oh, dear
hubby, I almost weep at this point in writing because I recall the
more-times-than-we-could-count when Jehovah Jirah cared for us one way or
another—even using dirty-bird equivalents! And He’s
comforted us in our most hurting times. In times we thought we’d die—just like
Elijah cried out to God after the Mount Carmel contest. And, oh, how very tired
we’ve been at times! Perhaps the time isn’t far off
when we, too, will pass the mantle.
You’ve
now reached this milestone birthday. Looking back, there are so many times God
used “unconventional means” in your life and the ministry. Yet God has proven
faithful in and through all.
I give
you this blessing as you step into a new year of challenges, assignments, time
in wildernesses, rest beside brooks, and maybe even a few more dirty-bird
experiences if that’s what God has in store.
A
“Dirty-Bird” Blessing
May challenges you face in your next
decade minister to your soul and produce growth.
May unexpected times of harm bring to your
mind God’s means, using these for the good.
May you always recall God surrounding you
in near-death times.
May seasons of drought spring forth fountains
of joy.
May your wilderness experiences affirm your
message to others—
that God always cares—always provides.
May those who serve baals shutter at the
sight of the Army of God surrounding you.
May you always have praise on your lips
and carry hope for the ones
who’ve come to know the Lord through your
being obedient.
May you not forget the battle is the Lord’s
in Whom there is victory over death,
and may you experience His peace until and
beyond the passing of the mantle.
Amen.
So Send I You**
by Outreach Quartet, 1999
Lovingly ~ always,
Wifey
#birthday #Elijah #ravens #JehovahJireh #Godprovides
#blessing #faithful #missionary #ministry
*These
accounts of Elijah are found in I Kings 17-20.
**Written by E. Margaret Clarkson—lyrics & John W. Peterson—melody, 1964
Photo
Credit: godsverse.org
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