But Elijah went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than those who were before me." 1 Kings 19.4 (ESV) Where do you go for comfort?
There seem to be days every now and again during this lockdown (and to be honest, probably before, but they were shrouded in the busyness of going to work and needing to do a million more things by the time I got home that they weren't really as noticeable), when I just don't really feel like doing much, and I want to just eat the food that I know isn't that great for me, and sit under my covers in my bed, and do things that don't take much effort. Today is actually one of those days so far... As I type, I am covered in a duvet and a blanket, with my TV on pause next to me while I write this post. I'll probably go back to it afterwards while I do menial chores and general admin. It's not that there aren't other things I could do. Even other things I want to do! It's just every now and again I guess it just seems like there's not much point. It gets annoying being stuck inside, and my response is to just soak up the indoors, not-doing-anything, attitude. But that's ok. Tomorrow will be different - maybe even this afternoon will be different! I'm not going to get mad at myself; just keep reminding myself of the things that are good to do! But some of that desire also is my body wanting comfort. Wanting to not have to make decisions, just be looked after, and told everything's going to be alright. The cognitive burden of thinking on the present situation too deeply is too much for me. It is enough. I have had enough. We all feel like this sometimes, I'm sure! Elijah felt like this too. He'd been doing and doing, and it hadn't worked, and he just wanted to lay still. To not make decisions. Even to die. Elijah needed comfort. So God comforted him. God let the emotionally overwhelmed Elijah sleep. God provided him with some food. And then God gave Elijah directions on somewhere to go. Once there, God greeted Elijah with a gentle whisper. There God listened as Elijah spoke. After Elijah had shared every fear and every worry, God's advice to Elijah was to go back and face the situation that troubles him. And so, Elijah was able to go. I leave you with my pastor's words from her 'LOOK UP IN LOCKDOWN' post for today: Something happens when we choose to meet with God. Especially when we enter into the quietness and peacefulness that surrounds him. God is able to give us, just as he gave Elijah, strength, encouragement and comfort to go back and face those things that trouble us. So if today is one of those days for you - where you've had enough and you don't want to do anything - why not take it to God and allow God to comfort you. Let God strengthen you, encourage you and comfort you, to go back and do all that God, in this moment, has given you to do. God can face down all the things that trouble you. Stay safe, and take care!
0 Comments
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; on you I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, your tender mercies and your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old. Psalm 24.5-6 (NKJV) The Psalmists went through some pretty treacherous times, and they documented them willingly. But in each Psalm, no matter how difficult the picture is that they paint of their lives, they are singing to God of how good and faithful God remains. If you were to write a song to God right now (ignoring musical capabilities, rhymes, rhythm or anything else that goes into the complicated mix of songwriting), what would you say? What would you focus on? What would you sing about? What would you want to repeat again and again in a chorus until you feel the truth of it in your bones?
We sing God's praises, we sing a new song, we sing day by day. Maybe, like the Psalmists, we can use these difficult times to sing from our home fortresses too. To sing that God is the God of our salvation. To use these precious moments to seek God's truth for us today. I love the second half of this verse: God didn't spring up when tough times started: God's tender mercy and lovingkindness is of old! They've been here forever, and will continue to be so. Whether we're sat here content, or on our knees with broken spirits and tearful emotions, let us know that God hasn't changed. Let us sing new songs as we pray to God to be here with us, new yet the same each and every morning. Stay safe, and take care! [Daniel, to Goliath:] You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel's armies, whom you curse and mock. 1 Samuel 17.45 It doesn't take a giant to kill a giant! I remember back when we actually went to church, one of the girls (age 5-6) would repeatedly ask me for the story of David and Goliath. I'd try and convince her to have a different one sometimes, but we'd always come back to this tale at some point! She clearly passed that love on to her little brother too, whose dad asked him why he loves the story so much this week. And with an innocent look and a smile on his face, he answered, "because tiny David killed the giant Goliath!"
With kids, good and bad is so easy! If the good one kills the bad one, it's happy days! I remember when I lived with a family a couple of years ago, and we were watching The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe for film night, and when it got to the ending fight scene, the 4-year-old girl saw Aslan's army go charging off and was shouting, "Yes, go, go, go, kill the witch," like she was in some 16th century witch-hunt!!! It's not so easy now. Did Goliath want to fight for the Philistines, or was he forced because of his great size? Why was this war happening anyway? Who had started it (if it's ever that simple...)? I'm not a fan of violence, in any form, and this tale has lots of it! But there are times when I have felt like what I was up against was bigger than I could overcome. Like I'm tiny David against the giant Goliath. When I was going through my times of disordered eating and struggling with anorexia, it has felt like a giant standing between me and the way to being healthy again. And those times certainly felt like a fight. A fight it was often easier not to fight, like the Israelites, cowering and shaking in their tents, not putting anyone forward, hoping it would all just be fine in the end, even if they didn't actually do anything. They could take the mocking and the shame, the humiliation - but they weren't willing to take the pain of trying to fight and losing. And each time I've felt like I was in the hands of anorexia (those giant hands coming out forwards out of my illustration), I am convinced that I have only survived because I finally let God come and fight it for me. God is the reason tiny David killed the giant Goliath. And God is the reason we can overcome things that are far too big for us to overcome on our own! If you feel like you're up against something way bigger than you can overcome, remember today that it doesn't take a giant to kill a giant. God is there, waiting for you to let God in and transform the possibilities! Stay safe, and take care! So teach us to number our days, That we may get a heart of wisdom. Do return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Psalm 90.12-14 (ESV) Does God care how we spend our time? I guess we're confronted with that question a little more now (at least those of us stuck at home without our usual work to do). But even those still needed for work at the moment might be confronted with the issue of whether it is worth it, when life can be so fleeting - especially for those who've been in hospital and have been scared of losing their lives. What are the things that make life worth living and time worth having? And how much of our lives do we actually spend on those things?
Ellen White, the 19th Century church-founder, who lived from 1827-1915, wrote that: 'The value of time is beyond computation. Christ regarded every moment as precious, and it is thus that we should regard it.' ~ Ellen G. White, Be Like Jesus, p.78 Time is something we all have, but that we all prioritise differently. It's often hard to say what is the right way and wrong way to gather and use our time. There are enough good things to do that you could fill a thousand lifetimes with them! But we have to be selective. Consider mapping out all the things you spend time on, and reflecting on the things you want to spend more time doing. If there's some aspect of your work or busyness that can be streamlined, try it. And give the remaining time to something important - to building lasting relationships with your family and friends, or reconnecting with God who gives peace and reveals truth. If you have any successes, let me know, because this is something I massively struggle with! I always have so much that I want to do, and often have to stop myself and reconfigure my daily time to make carve out space for the seemingly non-productive things that make me human and connect me with my God. Stay safe everyone, and take care! But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will wise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 4.2 (NLT) Not so long back, around January, I was exhausted all the time. I would go out to work, and by the time I got home it was not abnormal for me to just climb into my bed and fall asleep. Now, I wasn't working long hours, and I'm the sort of person who is usually go-go-go, so it was frustrating and a little alarming in its almost constant-ness. The tiredness also made me get ill more often, which when you're in your first year of working in a school anyway means getting ill A LOT. So after a few weeks I decided to go to the doctor and had a blood test - nothing serious, just on the low side of a few things, one of which was Vitamin D. Unsurprising given it was the middle of winter and I live in the UK! I talked to a doctor at my church (because I didn't really understand my test results and because there was nothing terrible, my doctor never called about them...) and he suggested a daily multivitamin including iron and vitamin D, and so that's what I got! And since then, I've been absolutely fine! I've had lots of energy, done lots of things, and feel stronger. Sadly, I still caught things at school, but they certainly didn't hit me as hard. I was surprised at how much of a difference it has made!
But maybe that's like our faith too. We go about our normal lives and suddenly we find there's not as much energy in it - not as much zest or interest. We've been doing all the things we were supposed to be - exercising (doing good things), eating healthily (studying the Bible), creating head-space (praying regularly), and yet, it's just become tiring! Well perhaps just as I was so dependent on this "sunshine vitamin" that I hadn't been getting enough of, our spiritual life takes a slow-dive when we're not getting enough exposure to the 'sun of righteousness'. We can't always take our to-do lists into our faith. Productivity can't always be our goal. Slow down - soak up the rays of health and healing. God has what you need. As always, stay safe, and take care! |
Like the Facebook page to keep up-to-date with blog posts!
AuthorI'm a recent Cambridge Theology graduate now studying for a Masters in Biblical Studies and blogging about all sorts of things! I'm interested in faith, Church, theology, social action, the great outdoors and being creative, and all of those things - along with many more - come through in my posts!
Categories
All
Archives
April 2020
|