running away

“ God, I wish I could die” – how often do you hear that phrase? How often do you say that?

I know for some people it is about feeling there is nothing more to life, that they are getting old and more frail. But that isn’t the case for Elijah.  When Elijah says : ‘Lord, take away my life’ , life has become too hard. He has tried to be true to God, but everywhere he turns there is another battle to fight, and he has had enough.  He feels like a failure. He feels like he alone. He is defending God and speaking for God and no-one is taking any notice, and no matter what he does it just isn’t getting any better, and now ….. and now Jezebel wants him dead, he is a marked man.  If this was a Western movie, his face would be on the wanted poster. You could make this a Western, good guy, white hat, comes to town to sort out the baddies, kills quite a few of them, but everyone is scared to be with him, as the bad guys, in black hats, are looking to kill him or anyone who helps him. You get the picture.

Elijah feels alone. When we have something difficult to do, it helps if there are other people standing with us, other people working at the same task, or at least offering encouragement. That is one of the advantages of being part of a congregation, we can encourage each other; and we do that through prayer, and through listening, and through working together. Meeting together we sing and pray and hear the Scriptures; but just the fact of meeting with other Christians, of recognising that we are not in fact the ‘only’ person who believes in God, helps us when we take a stand.

I wonder have you ever felt  like no one really knows you?

I wonder have you ever felt isolated?

Elijah ran away in fear, and eventually sleeps. When he awakes there is food and drink, for the journey. God does not reprimand him for running away.

After a  long time, well 40 days and nights which  means a long time, Elijah comes to the mountain of God – the same mountain that Moses saw the Burning Bush – so something amazing is likely to happen. [Note when you are reading the Bible what happens when people go up mountains], in our Western it would be time for the dramatic music.

And something special does happen on the mountain. Elijah stops running, stops still, breathes listens. I don’t know about you, but when I get stressed about something, no matter how small, it goes round and round in my mind, and grows more terrifying and more difficult to see a possible way through.

For Elijah it was the noise of the earthquake wind and fire, but for many of us, the noises that stop us hearing God are televisions, radio, iPods and computers, or constant busyness, a brain without an off switch.   

What are the words, phrases or worries that cloud your mind, and keep it busy?

 Prayer

Be still and know that I am God,

Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am God

O God of the still, small voice,

quiet our inner spirit.
Help us to focus upon You,  
to hear Your voice within.

I am the Lord that healeth thee

I am the Lord that healeth thee
I am the Lord that healeth thee

There are so many other voices demanding our attention.

But we cannot attend to them without You....

In thee O Lord do I put my trust

In thee O Lord do I put my trust
In thee O Lord do I put my trust

In weakness, be our strength.

In poverty, be our wealth.
In depression, be our joy.
In apathy, be our love.

Be still and know that I am God,

Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am God

Amended ~ posted on My Redeemer Lives website. http://www.myredeemerlives.com/prayers.html

On the mountain, Elijah stops running, from Jezebel, and from being a prophet. On the mountain, Elijah stops and meets with God, is reminded of God’s presence, God’s call on his life and God sends Elijah back with work to do.

Elijah’s journey goes from running away from Jezebel in fear of his life; and becomes a time to meet with God, to be nurtured, to have his call affirmed.

We don’t have to go on a long trip to be nurtured and encouraged in our faith journey.

[Singing: Wellsprings by Don Stewart]

being a prophetic voice

[Hymn: God Has Spoken by his Prophets]

 

We have just sung a hymn of how God speaks. The first verse of the hymn talks about God speaking by and through the prophets, and the first reading today while it is a story about a vineyard and the king, about greed and power; it's a story about a prophet, the prophet Elijah. Elijah challenged Ahab about his behaviour, his actions in taking the land that belonged to Naboth, not owned in the way that we think of owning land today, the land was seen as a gift from God and each person held it in care , lived off it and nurtured it for the next generation. As far as Naboth is concerned it wasn't really his to sell or to give away.

 

The second verse is God speaking through Jesus, and  in our gospel reading we hear something of the words of Jesus. Here in this reading there are people judging a woman for showing love. In the story Jesus tells a story to the assembled guests in the presence of the woman, which  ends with those who have been forgiven most love most. The word that we hear in this reading from Luke’s gospel is about forgiveness and love and I would add inclusion, because this woman named appears to have some kind of past. A Pharisee challenges Jesus that he should know that this woman who is touching him is the centre in Jesus tells the story, and the rest of the lectionary seen set for the weak tells of the women who were part of the group that travel with Jesus.

 

The third verse of the hymn is God is speaking by his spirit, God is speaking by the spirit.

 

One of the roles of the church is to be a prophet, to be a prophetic voice. What might the church speak out about, where might we be a prophetic voice today. Maybe the readings set this week give us a hint. In the old testament reading the prophet Elijah challenges greed, oppression, acquisitiveness, and unlawful killing; and in the gospel Jesus challenges judging and superiority. Where  today do we see and hear  judgement, and condemnation; where today do we see and hear of oppression, of greed that leads to oppression, of people wanting more and more, often at the expense of someone else.

I wondered who are the people today we might think of as prophets? Here are some images:

 

-       Image 1: Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Ghandi

-       Image 2: Aung San Suu Kyi

-       Image 3: Martin Luther King

-       Image 4: Malala Yousufzai - The 15-year-old Pakistani student was shot in the head at point-blank range by Taliban gunman for taking a bold and public stance in support of girls' education.

 

 

In what ways might we be prophets, where are we being called and challenged to speak into the world with God's concern. Where do we speak for the poor, those who feel they have no hope, the oppressed, the excluded. And how might we be prophets? Not just with our voice but in our actions. A little later Sue will be introducing the Micah challenge to us, and with that comes a series of prayer sheets.

 

One way that we can be prophets is by joining with other people, in challenging stereotypes. An example at the moment is the image that is often portrayed of people who come seeking asylum by boat. It is not illegal to seek asylum and it's not a legal to arrive by boat. Over 90% of people who seek asylum after arriving by boat are found to be refugees and granted protection visas, yet the government and the opposition are seeking ways of detaining people and locking them up for longer and longer periods of time. This is financially costly, but more than that it is dehumanising.

 

Church leaders speak out against such long periods of detention, we can join the leaders of our church in this prophetic work by finding out what the situation is for asylum seekers, we can show God's grace by being a visitor to a detention centre, offering to assist people when they are released from detention. One Minister I know is a guardian for an unaccompanied teenager, a young Muslim man from the middle east is living with a Christian Minister while he finishes his schooling.

 

This week is refugee week and as part of refugee week  there are walks in each capital city and a number of other major centres next Saturday, one is in Parramatta and one in Wollongong. If you're interested in joining either of those marches I can pass the information on to you.

 

Later this year there is a Federal election, just in case you hadn't heard about it yet. This week a pack of information came from a group called Uniting Justice, which is part of the Uniting Church. The information sheets are titled - just society: your faith your voice your vote.  

 

Being a prophet is not necessarily being in a comfortable place. I doubt that Elijah was looking forward to challenging Ahab about the death of Naboth. One reason being a prophet can be uncomfortable is that often it means speaking against the powerful, that might be people with money or influence sometimes it's just people with a loud voice. In many ways being a prophet is standing up to the bully in the playground. Except as adults the bullies often wear suits and ties, the bullies try and tell us it is for our own good, or get us on side by saying that the poor are lazy, or people seeking asylum are a threat.

 

Being a Christian to me often seems to be swimming against the flow. Not judging people, being inclusive, offering forgiveness, recognising love and faith in the unexpected.

 

In Martin Luther King's famous speech I have a dream this is part of what he says:

 

“ I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.”

I too have a dream, I have a dream that one day we will recognise all of humanity is part of God's great creation. I have a dream that one day it won't count as newsworthy that the Prime Minister is female, or even that the minister is female. I have a dream that one day our aboriginal brothers and sisters will have life expectancy, health outcomes, educational and employment opportunities that reflect the rest of the Australian Society. I have a dream that one day discussions in public about the future of this country will rest on what makes for a good society, how resources can go to those most in need. I have a dream...

 

What is your dream?

Where is God challenging you to be a prophetic voice?

What will you do about it?