After many months passed,
in the third year of the drought,
the LORD said to Elijah,
"Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!"
(I Kings 18:1, NLT).
Some events are almost too difficult to comprehend. A friend of Tim's died unexpectedly while snow boarding on Saturday night. None of us can comprehend the loss, it seems too hard. The newspaper article written about his accident ended by describing the saying tattooed on his ankle to be an expression of his life:
"Alive In Christ."
I am not sure that the feelings or process of grief can really be described through the limitations of words. Grief often leads to a drought of the mind, soul, and heart, making life seem too hard for the individuals left behind. I Kings not only tells the story about Elijah but also about a drought in the land that had lasted for three years. Droughts are difficult, causing havoc and hardship.
Droughts are out of our control; however God asked Elijah to take action by presenting himself to King Ahab with the promise that rain would soon be sent. Throughout the Bible we are told God intervenes in humanity through life-giving power.
So, how do we receive the life-giving power God gives when we face death and drought?
The book of Luke records the question when Christ's friends were looking for His body:
"Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive?" (Luke 24:5b, NLT)In other words . . . we are to refocus . . . rather than being focused on the tomb we are to be focused on the presence and power of Christ, who lives!
When it seems too hard . . .
Take time to refocus your perception.
Focus on Christ.
Meditate on the fact that Christ is not in the tomb--He lives!
Reflect on abiding in the life of Christ.
Ask: Is my perspective centered on the tomb or on the living Christ?
Determine to think, speak, and act through the life of Christ.
Be alive in Christ today.
Learning with to you when it seems too hard to focus on the living Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
