Just When I was Getting Hungry, God Provided

I noted the other day that I was reading a book by Ray Pritchard, Fire and Rain, The Wild Hearted Faith of Elijah.  I will ahve to say that I am only a chapter into the book and I am already finding it to be very good and full of interesting insights that have just seemed to be speaking to me these last few days. 

Being that I am kinda in a waiting period in my time here has caused me many different emotions and feelings about the last three weeks here.  I am in essence feeling stuck between here and home and therefore in a waiting period.  This is the place where Elijah found himself after speaking to Ahab and prophesizing to him in a prayer regarding the impending three years of drought.  After being so obediant to God, God sent him out to the desert into a ravine to live for a while.  Basically after being used by God god sent him to take a break for a while.  Not that God didn't still provide for Elijah while he was there but he did want him to hang out for a bit while God fullfilled the prophesy.

So in my mind this is where I am at right now.  A place where I am relying on God but not, in my mind, actively engauged as I was and waiting for the next thing to happen.  I God did for Elijah, He will provide for me, and anybody who has faith and obediance, even in the solitude. 

What the book points out is a fact of how God works with us in our walks.  God speaks to us in some way, we are obediant and then there is a blessing.  Elijah was asked to bring the message to Ahab, then God sent Him to the ravine, there God commanded the ravens to bring Elijah food twice a day to keep him alive while he was there, the blessing. 

For me I saw some of this last night.  I am not saying that it was in anyway as amazing as Elijahs story but I do see it in the same light as his in the fact that when we are obediant, God will provide the blessings to us.

I have to put this in just for color, to give you an idea of the conditions here as this keeps drawing my attention away.  I have a cup of coffee sitting to my right on the desk.  As I type this word there are four flies that are enjoying the little dropplets of coffee on the inside of my cup.  Each time I go to take a sip the get up and fly away.  Occasionally instead of flying up they fly down and therefore I have to pick them out from their impending drowning. I then take my sip and they then return again for theirs.  I know it is gross but it is something that you get used to here.  I can't wait to be home again.

Anyway, back to God working in my life.  Last night I sat in my room after my 1800 meeting watching part of a movie I had started the night before.  Wednesday nights is our Bible Study night at the Chapel which starts at 1900.  As I sat there and time was getting close for me to have to leave I just didn't feeling like going.  I was having one of those moments where in my head I was assessing the Bible Study, was it worth it tonight to go.  Tottally thinking in a worldly manner, what would I miss and what would I gain if I went. Come on, you all know what I am talking about.

About ten minutes before the start I thought about how I spoke to Capt. Lowery and Sgt. Gardner earlier to see if they were coming.  They hadn't been in a couple of weks and I thought it would prompt them to join us again.  Then I thought, Ok Mike, what if now you don't show up, then how would it look.  I thought of a few excuses, felt guilty and stupid, and got up and went to the Chapel.  About ten minutes in Lowery and Gardner showed up so I knew that I had made the right choice.

What I didn't expect was what happened next, this hasn't happened in a while for me.  As we were having our discussion in walked a Civilian Contractor, kinda young and rough looking.  I turned and asked him if I could help him, this interupting the discussion that we all were having.  He said "is there a Pastor here?" There is a Chaplin here, as I pointed to Chaplin Reagule who was in her PT's.  "Can we help you?"  "I need to talk to the Chaplin, I am looking for some Holy books" he said.  I said well let me see if I can help you and I got up and walked over to him at the book shelf.

He was looking for a Koran, Hindu, and Jewish "Bibles".  So I gave him a Koran and Pentatauch and stated that we had nothing else.  From that I asked, "what is it that you are doing?"  His answer we have all heard before. "OI want to reasearch about God and I do not believe in organized religion anymore, it has been the cause of so many problems."  My response was this, "you are right, religion does cause issues, what you are looking for is your faith."  Then I invited him to sit with us if he wanted.  "No I don't have time right now."

As he walked out I introduced myself and he gave me his name.  I said that anytime he wanted to come join us that he was welcome.  I also pointed out Ryan who I know is around alot and would be willing to answer his questions if he needed.  He told me he would be fine on his own.  I don't know what he said after this but it prompted me to ask him if he had a minute to talk.  He agreed and we went out on the porch.

For the next ten minutes I spoke with this lost man about what he was going through.  He was another that was brought up in the Church and had for some reason moved away from it.  He was feeling that there was hypocracy and wrong doing and that man had failed him over and over again.  What I saw at the root of this was that he was seeking God but distrusted man, even to the point of questioning the Bible.  He was therefore going to find God in all religions on his own.  I was very sadened by this, and spoke to him about finding his faith, through this.  I asked him to ask God to reveal to Him His truth as he sought Him.  That if he put this in his heart God would be faithful to answer him.

See I realized that even my words would be viewed as the words of man.  That if I were to speak specifically to Him about Jesus Christ as being His answer it would not be recieved by him.  I did tell him that my faith was in that Jesus was the way, the truth  and the life and that I hoped God would also reveal this truth to him. but I had to leave this primarily in the hands of the one that would do the best work, God.

After we parted I returned inside and sat in prayer for this young man.  I aske dthat God reveal to him his truth and that the man found Jesus Christ as Lrod and Savior.  As I sat, Capt. Lowery placed his hand on my back, understanding my prayer time and what I had just done.

So back to Elijah and what he had to do with this whole thing.  He was obediant when called.  He came down from the mountains, spoke with Ahab and then went to the ravine to stay for a while as God asked him to.  I did not want to come down from my mountain, but I did.  Then when presented with a lost sole I did not just sit and let him come in and then leave, I felt the call and went to the man and spoke truth to Him.  As God provided a blessing to Elijah so he would give me this moment to do what I love, wittness to another.  Even when I am feeling like my time is done here I was given a glimpse of what my purpose truly was, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ however I can. 

Lord Jesus, speak into this mans life.  Let him see your truth and the truth of the Gospel even if that means that his road will be through the false teachings of others, allow Him to see you.  I pray for him.  I pray for you to pour others into his life to water the seeds. I pray that the power that is in your Word be revealed in his life and he comes to you one day.  I thank you once again  taht you allowed me to be used for your purpose.  Amen.