Title: STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS AND SILENCE
Focus: When we are weak, discouraged, and ponder the circumstances of our lives, and when we struggle emotionally in silence, we may find strength in God’s covenant promise and work, as realized by his Son, the Lord Jesus.
The most powerful sermon my father ever “preached” to me was on his knees. And he does not know it. When I grew up as a teenager, I went through some rough stretches, trying to figure out who I was, wondering what the Christian faith I grew up with was all about. At times, I acted like a “lost puppy.” At other times, I was more like a “rebel rouser.” I did hear plenty of advice and sermons from my parents, but they usually went into one ear and out the other.
One Saturday night, I came home very late. The lights were out; all was quiet. Mom and Dad, no doubt, were sound asleep. I sneaked up the stairs to my bedroom. As I passed by the bedroom of my parents, I noticed that the door was open just a bit. I cast a furtive glance and saw the silhouette of my father, on his knees, at his side of the bed. He seemed unaware of my presence. He was praying.
That sight of my father on his knees sobered me and, I believe, softened my heart to become open to the things of the Lord. I’m grateful to God for my parents.
Having good relationships with your parents is for some a challenge. For example, I would not be surprised at all to hear that there are fathers and mothers here who wish things were different between them and their adult children. And perhaps there are children here (some of them grown ups) who have a knot in their stomach when thinking about their dads. Again, others here may feel a deep sense of loss as they remember their parents who died, perhaps, years ago. At such moments, nostalgia and melancholy, perhaps, may get the best of us.
Last week, I had the privilege of teaching at the Institute of Worship Studies. It was a difficult week because the president and founder of the Institute is no longer with us. Robert Webber died on April 17 of this year. Last week Friday evening, students, faculty members and family members attended a memorial service, celebrating and remembering God’s work in and through this man called Bob Webber. As I attended the memorial service, I began to think about people I’ve met and known all these years and who are no longer with us. And I felt a sense of weakness, vulnerability, and frailty—for life is short and fleeting.
And it’s at those moments that thoughts of doubt and despair may enter our hearts: What’s life really all about? Does it matter how I live it? Where’s God in all of our living? Ah, when we are honest with ourselves, we must admit: doubt and despair are enemies we do fight at times.
So hear now the good news: When we are weak, discouraged, and ponder the circumstances of our lives, and when we struggle emotionally in silence, we may find strength in God’s covenant promise and work, as realized by his Son, the Lord Jesus.
Elijah is a giant of a prophet, used mightily by God. He challenged the idols of Israel, by gathering the prophets of Baal and by involving them in a contest between Baal and Yahweh, the God of Israel. Baal lost and the prophets of Baal lost their lives.
But just when you would expect Elijah to enjoy the victory of God over Baal and draw strength from that victory, we discover Elijah in panic, despair, and discouragement. Why? Queen Jezebel has issued a warrant for his arrest; she has sworn that Elijah would die for killing all the priests of Baal: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them,” she said.
Fearing for his life, Elijah runs away and goes south, into the desert; he wants to go back to that region where Moses and the Israelites received God’s covenant law (10 commandments) and his promises. You see, Elijah has had it—with Israel’s unfaithfulness, and especially with Israel’s royal, idolatrous leadership. Elijah is also discouraged with himself as a prophet. All his work seems to make no difference in the life of Israel. Even his big victory in the contest between Baal and God seems to have made no difference. It certainly did not impress Jezebel, the queen.
As Elijah flees for his life, we note that
God opens the drama by asking Elijah: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” With bitterness and a spirit of discouragement, Elijah blurts out: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken 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, Elijah is complaining about the project that God has called him to carry out as a prophet in Israel.
Elijah does not see the big picture at all. Nothing makes sense anymore! What’s the use, anyhow, of doing these mighty works such as killing the prophets of Baal, but ending up running for your own life because Israel’s leadership by way of Queen Jezebel is not impressed at all? Where’s God in all of this mess? Yes, where’s God?
Is God in the wind? No. For the story tells us that “a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.” Surely, the mighty wind is a display of God’s power! But no, today, Elijah must not look for God in the powerful display of the wind.
Well, then, maybe we should look for a solid earthquake, a 7.5 on the Richter scale. But no, says the text, “the Lord was not in the earthquake.” Well, then, how about a bonfire, like we see periodically in southern California, burning thousands of acres, totally out of control? No, says the text, “the Lord was not in the fire.”
Where, then, can Elijah--where then can we--find the Lord, if not in displays of awesome, raw power in nature?
We find the Lord in the midst of our despair, when we are silenced, weak, broken, confused, depressed, when our world closes in on us, when adversity stops us in our tracks, and when we become still—then listen up!
Then listen for the gentle whisper! For God is in the gentle whisper of silence. There you can find and hear God. When we are weak, discouraged, and ponder the circumstances of our lives, and when we struggle emotionally in silence, we may find strength in God’s covenant promise and work, as realized by his Son, the Lord Jesus.
In the midst of weakness and silence, God comes to Elijah and us and He says: “You may not see the whole picture, but I continue to realize my project of saving my people, of renewing and restoring all things. I will not abandon my creation nor will I forsake my people; and I will realize my promises to you today and in the days to come; I will continue my project of ushering my heavenly kingdom here on earth.”
And that’s why God tells Elijah to get up, to get out of that morass of despair and to get into action: “Go back the way you came, and go the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” In other words, God continues his project.
APPLICATIONS