Father God, help me bring my grief, groans and fears to you to go on my way…

Gospel Mystery of the Day            Monday, June 17, 2024
                                               
Good Morning!      
Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
 
1Kings 18 & 19
Father God, help me bring my grief, groans and fears to you to go on my way…
 
Elijah was undoubtedly well connected to God. As the last remaining true prophet in Israel, God had performed through Elijah’s obedience a tremendous miracle by spontaneously lighting fire on a water-soaked altar to burn a whole sacrifice in the presence of the people. In this way the opposing 450 false prophets of other gods who had been unable to burn any sacrifice, were exposed and defeated. Did this protect Elijah to continue doing his work of building up faith in Israel? On the contrary, Queen Jezebel gave orders that the holy prophet be killed on sight, and Elijah, at the behest  of God, escaped to Mount Sinai to find refuge in a cave. The Wind, the Earthquakes and the Fire that swirled around him, though they mirrored his inner turmoil and manifested the power of God, could not give him the intimate communion with God that he needed to continue living his anointed vocation as a faithful prophet of the Most High God. Instead God chose to converse with Elijah in silence. “What are you doing here?” he asked Elijah. From his anguish Elijah cried out his loneliness, his sense of desertion, and desperation and his fear that faith in Israel would die with him at the hand of Jezebel.  How often have I been doing the same thing as Elijah -escaping to a cave of desperation, suffering from similar loneliness and despair, worrying about the disasters lurking in the shadows of my life? But the point is, God answers. God answered Elijah, his faithful servant, after the powers of wind, earth and fire had swirled around him for a time, in stillness through prayerful connection,. Again the Lord elicited Elijah’s griefs, groans, and fears from him, not dismissing but rather validating his prophet’s feelings. It was then that God was able to speak his word into the Elijah’s heart: ‘I’ve got this; you are not alone; your next step is to go on your way under my direction and connect with my other servants.’ When next I am overwhelmed by life’s winds, ‘earth shakes’ and fires, will I come out of my cave to tell the Lord my griefs, my groans, and my fears so that I can receive his wisdom and direction to go on my way? Father God, help me bring my grief, groans and fears to you to go on my way.
 
Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. (Psalm 5:1,2)
 
The goal is to be aware of unseen things even as you live out your life in the visible world.
Sarah Young, in Jesus Calling, June 15, June16
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook & www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca