time out

We have been following the Old Testament, touching on a few stories. You will know other stories, hopefully you have been able to note where they come in the overall story.

So far, we have been looking mainly at history.

[slide 1]

We started at the creation story in Genesis One, the Patriarchs, the time in Egypt, Moses, Exodus, skipped over Judges, then the call of the boy Samuel, anointing of David, and the building of the Temple by Solomon.

God had warned the people of Israel what would happen if they had a King. After just 3 kings, Saul, David and Solomon, the kingdom divides.

[ slide 2]

This morning we meet Elijah, but first a bit more background.

Solomon had many wives, mostly foreign women, this was part of a plan to maintain peace in the neighbourhood, and it did. But it also meant the influence of foreign gods.

1 Kings 11: 3 - 6

Seven hundred of his wives were daughters of kings, but he also married three hundred other women.

As Solomon got older, some of his wives led him to worship their gods. He wasn’t like his father David, who had worshiped only the Lord God.  Solomon also worshiped Astarte the goddess of Sidon, and Milcom the disgusting god of Ammon.  Solomon’s father had obeyed the Lord with all his heart, but Solomon disobeyed and did what the Lord hated.

The worship of the Lord was what had held the twelve tribes of Israel together, but the Monarchy was not able to maintain that bond, especially when the Monarchy no longer was true to the Lord.

[ slide 3]

Back in Exodus, when the people arrived in the promised land, each tribe settled in an area.

[ slide 4]

The twelve tribes spilt into two Kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom, Israel and the Southern Kingdom, Judah.

Today’s readings take place in the Northern Kingdom.

Elijah is a prophet, over the next few weeks we will hear more from the prophets. Prophets in the Bible are not fortune tellers, or predictors of the future. Prophets are people who speak the message of God.

Elijah is concerned at the way the King and Queen, and others, are not following the Lord, many are following Baal. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal, to see which god is greatest, The Lord or Baal.

Our first reading this morning was about that contest, The Lord won, and Elijah and the crowd killed the prophets of Baal.

This happened at Mt Carmel.

[slide 5]

When Queen Jezebel heard what had happened, she threatened the life of Elijah and he ran away. He ran from Mt Carmel, to Beersheba, left his servant there, and walked another day into the desert. He falls asleep, an angel rouses him with food and water, he falls asleep, again an angel rouses him with food and water. Then Elijah travels for forty days, which means a long time.

[slide 6]

Elijah ends up on the mountain of the Lord, Mt Horeb, also known as Mt Sinai.  This is the Mountain where Moses received the Law, and the people made the golden calf. And now, Elijah has travelled to this mountain, to meet God. Twice the Lord asks Elijah

 “Why are you here, Elijah?”

Elijah replied, “I’ve been very passionate for the Lord God of heavenly forces because the Israelites have abandoned your covenant. They have torn down your altars, and they have murdered your prophets with the sword. I’m the only one left, and now they want to take my life too!”

The Lord tells Elijah to stand at the entrance of the cave,

Then the earthquake, wind and fire, and God speaks not in the noisy or extravagant, but in sheer stillness, or a still small voice, depending on translation.

Elijah was running away, fearful for his life, and wondering if it would be better to just die.

I wonder when you have felt like Elijah, wanting to run away, wishing God would take your life, because living has become too difficult or painful.

I wonder when you have felt like running away and starting all over again somewhere else. I know women whose partners are violent who choose to run and hide, because that feels safer than their partner finding out where they are.

People are targeted in various places because of their religion, ethnicity or family connections, some choose to run away, to look for a safe place to live and raise a family.

Some people resort to drugs, legal and illegal, to escape their pain and fear;

And some people need a break, time out.

And often some time out helps. Some space to breathe without wondering what else will happen next.

Some time to rest and be nourished by food and drink and sleep.

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, and to have his call affirmed.

Here this morning, we take time out;

Time out from busyness

Time out from the words that tell us we are failures

Time out from the background noise of radio and TV and iPods and traffic

Time out to be

Time out to reconnect with the source of life

Tie out to remember the story of life, and how your story intertwines with the God story.

We share together, remembering we are not alone, God is with us, but we are also a community of faith, a community that cares and prays together, that sings and learns together, that shares bread and juice, and life and love.

As saints we meet around the table, not because we are perfect, but because the Lord, our God, invites us.

Part of our response is to accept the invitation to bread and juice.

Another part of our response is to let the peace of God guide us, that we may be saints who let the light of God shine in our lives, that others may see beauty, hope and love.