Renewed for Ministry
One of the characters in the Bible who has impacted my life most profoundly is Elijah. So as I departed my congregation after eight years of ministry, I wanted to leave them with Elijah’s story, because there is so much we can learn from his life and legacy.
Elijah is one of the foremost prophets in Judaism. He is the forerunner of the Messiah, the prototype of the prophets who come after him, and the one who stands in for the prophetic literature in the Transfiguration. Amazingly, however, we know very little about him. We don’t know what tribe he is from, who is parents are, whether or not he has any siblings, or even where he comes from. He is simply called Elijah the Tishbite, which could mean the village of Tishbe is home, or it could reference the idea that he was a “sojourner/inhabitant in Gilead.”)
While we know so little, we recognize the importance of his faith. In a time full of political turmoil, religious upheaval, and personal danger, Elijah spoke up for the Lord: “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kgs. 17:1).
Most of us know the major stories of his life: Elijah being fed by ravens in the desert; Elijah convincing a widow in Zarephath to trust in God, and her flour and oil are multiplied; Elijah defeating the prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mt. Carmel; choosing his successor, Elisha, and then being taken to heaven in a chariot of fire. Those are the stories that make the highlight reel; those are the ones I see in the children’s Bible while reading with my kids.
But the story that impacts me the most is none of the above. Instead, it is the moment at which Elijah has just had the highlight of his prophetic career. He has literally stood as one man against the crowd and watched as God demonstrated his mighty power while proving Baal’s impotence. The people repented and turned back to the Lord. At this moment, Elijah would be at the pinnacle.
But then comes the threat. Queen Jezebel sends word to Elijah that she will have him killed. And Elijah runs for his life. He runs for the border, then crosses the length of Judah, and comes out into the desert, where he concludes that he wants to die. God sends an angel to care for him – not once, but twice – and then Elijah keeps on running. For 40 days and nights without end, until he reaches Mt. Horeb.
I don’t know why Elijah thought to run there. Maybe he was hoping to have another “mountaintop experience” like the one at Carmel. Maybe he thought by going back to Horeb, the mountain of the Lord, he could be closer to God. Maybe he was seeking another profound miracle to justify his faith and strengthen his resolve. But this is where he found himself: in a cave, waiting for God to show up (although God had been there all along).
God speaks: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And Elijah throws a pity party:
I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.
In essence, “It’s not fair! So what are you going to do about it?”
Man, how many times I have felt like that in ministry! It especially tends to come after the highlights in ministry: a great sermon, seeing someone put their faith in Jesus, hosting a retreat that touched hearts and lives, feeling a deep stirring of faith and a closeness to God like never before. Right after those moments often come the ones of doubt and despair, of fear and frustration.
I also see Elijah wrestling with his mental health in the midst of a depressive episode. I have had one bout with major depression in my life, and smaller episodes at other points. I am not ashamed of it, because it is part of who I am. Indeed, I think I am a better and more empathetic minister for having had those experiences! In the midst of those times, my faith hasn’t been lacking. It has been stretched through the struggle, pushed in the exertion, and ultimately changed by the experience. But it has also caused me to search for God, spend more time in prayer, and wrestle with difficult questions about faith.
Elijah comes to the mountain in a crisis of faith; he comes seeking the Lord. And God shows up – as he has all along. But he shows up in unexpected ways. You see, on Carmel he came as a consuming fire from the heavens. On Horeb, Elijah experiences a shattering wind, a shuddering earthquake, and a raging fire, but those weren’t the presence of God. Instead, God shows up in “a gentle whisper.” In fact, it might have been in the midst of the nothingness, because the phrase can also be “sheer silence.” It was in the silence that God made his presence known.
How true that is in my own life! I run around at a frenetic pace, doing more and more. I think if I accomplish more, that means I am doing effective ministry. If I serve more or speak more, I am serving the Lord. Those things are fine and good. But sometimes what God needs is for me to sit in silence and recognize that he is there, too.
Be still and know that I am God.
The Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.
Spend just a moment in silence, reminding yourself that God is there with you.
When Elijah did so, his life was forever changed. God met him there, ministered to the needs of his soul, encouraged his spirit, and renewed him for ministry.
May God do the same for us, too.
