God Believes In You!

Pr. Jaz Waring |

Pentecost 11 August 13, 2023

Elijah had enough. After years being God’s chosen prophet, giving towns and kings bad news of God’s judgement, he was done! Elijah was on the run, with a “wanted: dead-or-alive” poster pinned to his back. "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.” The words of Queen Jezebel playing like tapes over and over again. The voice of the LORD breaks in, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” What am I doing here? That’s a loaded question. Flash back a few weeks ago, I was at the height of my career! Israel once again got caught up in idolatry and was worshiping Baal. Next thing I knew, I was caught in a battle-of-the-gods competition against the prophets of Baal, and I represented team “God of Israel.” The challenge was to call fire down from the heavens, and light an altar piled with wood and a sacrificed bull (God loves a good BBQ). I was confident God was with me in this, so I wasn’t worried. The prophets of Baal were so tragically funny to watch. They were running around chanting and cutting themselves up in order to summon Baal all day long. It was getting a little ridiculous, and I might have gotten a little cocky. I told them, “Hey! Maybe you should chant a little louder, I don’t think he could hear you.” They didn’t appreciate my input. Then I said, “You know, maybe Baal is stuck in the bathroom, maybe that’s why he’s taking so long!” I’ll admit, that was a little out-of-pocket. I thought this battle could use a little more theatrics. So I placed 12 stones around the bull to represent the tribes of Israel, and dug a trench around the altar. Then I had them dump 3 buckets of water over my altar so that it was completely flooded, just to add insult to injury and raise the stakes a bit. Then came the moment…I said a simple prayer to God, and God delivered. Literally, God delivered a pillar of fire from the heavens! The flames burnt up the water-logged wood on my altar, and the bull offering. The people in the audience were amazed an afraid…and then they were terrified because I immediately after started slaying all 4,500 of Baal’s prophets. It’s problematic, I know! When Queen Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife, heard about this she sent a messenger to me. The messenger said, “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.” Fear and dread struck me in the gut like a cold knife. I was paralyzed with anxiety, her words running like a tape in my head over and over again. I can’t breathe! I’m a dead man! I gotta run for my life! So that’s what I did. I ran into the wilderness, sat under a sad solitary tree and asked the LORD to take my life. I was done! Instead God sent angels to feed me and give me water. Just let me die already! “What are you doing here, Elijah?” the LORD said. Elijah shakes his head back into the present moment. He verbalizes the other running tape in his head, his defense to God. “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” God leads him to Mount Horeb, the same mountain Moses met with God. God sends a mighty wind, an earthquake, and fire from heavens…typical controlled elements in which God’s presence had manifested in, but God was not in these elements. Instead, God came to Elijah in the sound of silence, like a whisper. So intimate and so gentle. God is revealed to him like Moses, a sight only these two men have ever experienced. After this incredible moment, God asks Elijah again, “What are you doing here?” Elijah responds the same way he did before, playing the same tape that has been running over and over. Elijah experienced the power and presence of God, and yet he leaves unchanged. How did he become so familiar, so cynical, so weary, so afraid, so numb to the power of God at work in the world and not be changed or transformed by it? I didn’t even know that was possible. Elijah clung to the story running in his tapes instead of entering into the story God was creating in the world. I know I just talked a lot of about Elijah, but this sermon is not actually about him. It’s really easy to focus on Elijah’s lack of faith in his ability to continue God’s call, or how he was paralyzed with fear. What I find more interesting is who God is, and how God is at work in our readings today. Who is this God we are a witness to? First, this is a God who acts, influences, and wants to be in relationship with humanity. God acts in these controlled elements of wind, earthquakes, and fire that is different from nature. This echos the whirlwind speech God gives in the book of Job where God said, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Yet God is not in these powerful forces in this story. Instead God tries to influence Elijah in intimate and gentle silence. Like a whisper speaking directly to his heart. This is a God who holds galaxies in motion, and limits Their own power in order to be in right relationship with humanity. Secondly, this is a God who is with us. God asks Elijah twice, “What are you doing here?”. This implies that God is also here with him. God was with Elijah in the battle-ofthe-gods and in his highlights, and God was still with him at his lowest point. Even when Elijah called it quits, God was still never left him. God’s promise to Israel, to Elijah, and to us that God will never leave or forsake us continues to this day. Finally, this is a God who is compassionate and willing to help. When Elijah was at the end of his rope and wanted God to end his life, God didn’t give up on him. Instead God sent messengers, or angels in some translations, to give him food and water in the wilderness. When God saw that Elijah was not being receptive or willing to be changed, God didn’t judge or curse him. Instead, God offered a way out for Elijah. God is not going to force us to do anything we don’t want to do, because that is not love. However God will find someone else who is willing to take up the call. How do we respond to this God we are a witness to today? One possibility is we can remain unchanged. Both individually and as the Church, we can be burnt out and at the end of our rope. We can become numb, cynical, weary, afraid, and ambivalent to the power of God at work in our world. You have given everything you got, and now you’re done. Because we serve a gracious and loving God who is not going to force us to do anything we are not willing to do, God will say, “Ok, let’s find you a way out.” However, it will require you to go outside of yourself and bring in others who are willing to carry on the work. Elijah had to anoint new kings and train up his replacement. God doesn’t want us to abdicate our responsibilities, God wants us to delegate and pass on the mantle to an empowered next generation. To some, this sounds like Good News! To others who feel a sting when you hear about God finding someone else, then perhaps you can take on a different possibility. If you’re not willing to give up or pass the mantle off to someone else just yet, then its time to step out in faith and ask for help…like Peter. In our Gospel reading, Jesus calls Peter to walk on water with him. Jesus knows Peter can walk on water, but Peter is not sure! Peter steps out in faith and begins to walk like Jesus. Then great winds were blowing, waves were crashing all around him, and Peter begins to doubt his ability to walk on water and begins to sink. Peter could have given up and drowned. He had a good run, right? No! Instead he cried out, “SAVE ME LORD!” and Jesus reached out and helped him back on the boat. Typically preachers like to emphasize how Jesus was kind of disappointed in Peter, and saying that it was Peters lack of faith in Jesus. However I don’t think that was Jesus’ intention at all. When he said, “Why do you doubt?” I believe he is saying to Peter, “Why didn’t you believe in yourself? I’m right here with you, I called you out because I knew you could do it and be like me.” This is a God who is compassionate and willing to help us! The Good News is, God believes in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Church, we are witnesses to a God who acts, influences, and is in relationship with us. This is a God who is with us in our highs and our lows. A God who is compassionate and willing to help, if only we ask for it and allow ourselves to be helped by others. If you’ve had enough and are ready to pass on the mantle to the next generation, may you experience the grace and love of God who will find a way out for you. But do not abdicate your role, empower and come alongside the ones who will carry on the work for you. If you still have fight in you, then for the love of God, ask for help (not just from God). And may all of you change out the tapes in your head that are repeating stories of your fears and failures, and enter into the liberating story God is writing in the world today. God believes in you, beloved, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Amen.