Do You Do Repair Work?

Then Elijah called to the people, "Come over here!" They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. (I Kings 18:30)

A friend of mine has been emotionally wounded. The thing is . . . he says the people that have hurt him the most are people who follow the ways of Christ. Of course . . . you and I are not included in this. . . except . . . I think that a lot of hurt goes on that is not communicated . . . it is not by intention . . . but by assumption.

It seems to me that as communication changes and we communicate less face to face and more through technology . . . yes . . . like I am doing right now . . . that we tend to assume what a person is trying to say rather than confirming what we understand . . . which is a LOT OF WORK . . . and most of us are too busy to work that hard at communicating. And . . . we often assume that people know what we are talking about . . . but . . . they often have no idea what we were really trying to say. . . miscommunication occurs . . . and someone gets hurt.

So, how do we repair communication mishaps?

Look at what Elijah did . . . he talked . . . he brought a message . . . and still the prophets of Baal were ranting . . . trying to get some sign that their belief in Baal was okay . . . Elijah understood that he had not communicated in way that the people could understand their need of a relationship with God, Yahweh.

He communicated by demonstration . . . he showed the message that had been within his own heart . . . communicating what was important.

The people would not give their whole heart to God . . . they needed to surrender their rebellion . . . their hearts needed to be repaired through a relationship with God . . . they were broken and wounded people without a relationship with God. The story indicates the altar, the place of surrender, had been damaged. Elijah repaired the altar, which was a radical activity for anyone in the ancient days. Think about the people watching Elijah repair the altar . . . in their culture they knew it was highly unusual. . . rarely done. . . that it was one of the most sacred places . . . the place of surrender to God.

When it comes down to it . . . the most effective way to communicate is by demonstration. We not only speak our message . . . we live out what is important . . . we demonstrate what is on our heart by our actions. Hearts will be repaired when people see our message being lived out.

Are you willing to do some repair work even if you think you did nothing wrong?
Begin at the altar . . . do your own repair work . . . then choose to repair relationships through demonstration as well as words.
Determine the heart of your message.
Live out your message.

Learning with you to repair through my actions as well as words,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)

Going On A Rant

They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no reply, no voice, no answer. (I Kings 18:29, NLT)

Have you ranted lately . . . everyone seems to be ranting these days in my part of the world.

Here is Webster's version of the definition of rant:
Etymology: obsolete Dutch ranten, randen
Date: 1601
intransitive verb
1 : to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
2 : to scold vehemently
transitive verb
: to utter in a bombastic declamatory fashion

First . . . who says bombastic except for Webster's dictionary? I would love to hear someone say bombastic in a normal conversation . . . I bequeath (another great word) the word bombastic to you!

Back to the subject . . . where I live ranting has become an oral emotional recounting of an event or events in order to express what occurs inwardly to an individual. We have . . . become ranters.

But then again . . . I Kings 18:29 is a great example of the ancient day ranters. Perhaps this is an ongoing problem with humanity. The prophets were ranting to Baal . . . they were on a rant of all rants . . . they needed a response . . . they needed to know that something was going to happen . . . they ranted until there was no rant left in them . . . and even then . . .there was no reply, no voice, no answer.

The three negatives: no reply, no voice, no answer . . . reflect emptiness and aloneness.

God is relational . . . He speaks to the core of our being . . . coming alongside of us . . . never forsaking or leaving us alone. In other words, our relationship with God is formed through the life He gives us. He will listen . . . even to our ranting . . . we can bring it to Him . . . just knowing His presence will transform the inward issues that produced the rant into peace . . . it is a process . . . that changes us.

Do you have a rant today?
Take time to listen to the reply, voice, and answer of God.
Stop.
Focus your whole being on God . . . listen . . . wait for Peace to come . . . listen . . . and know the presence of God.
Learning with you to take my ranting to God and listen,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)

Dancing With A Limp

About noontime Elijah began mocking them. "You'll have to shout louder," he scoffed, "for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or he is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or he is asleep and needs to be wakened!" So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.
They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no reply, no voice, no answer. (I Kings 18: 27-29, NLT)

This is such a fascinating story that I am moving right to it . . . our own story can be seen within it . . .

At first glance, the description of the people seem . . . well . . . crazy . . . we need to move from the viewpoint within our context and culture to the ancient times. Elijah not only claimed his faith in God, he taunted and mocked the prophets of Baal. Mocking was used as a weapon in ancient warfare.

Why did the prophets of Baal respond by slashing themselves?
This apparently was a response of grief, a mourning ritual.

How can we understand this event?
Review verses 20-21: So Ahab summoned all the people and the prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How long are you going to waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!" But the people were completely silent.

Now think on this . . . King Ahab had summoned all the people as well as the prophets. Elijah challenged that the people were not solely worshipping one or the other . . . they were middle of the road . . . they did not follow God (Yahweh) . . . their heart did not belong to Yahweh . . . but they were aware of His presence. God had placed Elijah before all of Israel to win their hearts . . . to become fully devoted.

Okay . . . now studying this gets fun . . . the verb used for dancing can mean limp. Picture the prophets limping in an attempt to dance. Their lack of whole-hearted relationship with Yahweh created deprivation . . . they were constrained . . . disabled . . . because they refused to engage with the enabling power and presence of God.

And before . . . we judge the limping prophets . . how many times do we limp in the dance of life? How many times are we deprived and disabled because our heart is just not in it?

Our participation with Christ Jesus, who is Life, can be likened to a dance. One of my first encounters with Christ as a child was through the imagery that all I needed to do was stand on his feet, let Him hold on to me, lean back, and feel the wind of freedom as He led me in the dance of life.

Think about what causes you to limp in the dance with Life . . . what distracts you from being fully engaged and participating in Life?

Surrender.
Be freed of your limp.
Dance all day and night.

Learning with you to dance,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)

Fire Is A Really Big Deal

Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!" And all the people agreed. Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood." So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal all morning, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced wildly around the altar they had made. (I Kings 18: 23-26, NLT)

Okay . . . the verse is long. Take the extra time to read it. Why? At the center of the story there is a message about those who are alive with the fire of God and how others are living but their soul is dead . . . they wake up dreading the day . . . overwhelmed with details and drudgery rather than with purpose and passion from the presence of God.

Fire is a really big deal.

Can you imagine the scene on Mt Carmel as recorded in I Kings 18? Elijah entered into a contest with those who had put their time and effort into Baal, who the people had depicted as a god that flashed with fire (lightening) in the sky . . . holding bolts of lightening in his hands . . . and was considered the god of fire. It makes sense that the prophets of Baal were a little self-involved in looking for Baal to appear through fire. Elijah knew it would not happen . . . and watched them waste their time and effort.

How many times do we waste our effort because our effort is not drawn from the presence of God?

Elijah was familiar with the appearances of God (theophanies) through fire . . . the burning bush . . . the pillar of fire . . . the throne vision of Ezekiel. Fire also represented the acceptance of sacrifices . . . burnt offerings expressed God’s readiness to re-establish relationship . . . a means of grace. Fire was a really big deal.

What was the contest about?

Everyone wanted the drought to end and the rain to come . . . they looked at the sending of the fire to identify where the rain came from. But there was more . . . the people were blind to the Reality of the presence of God. The drought in their soul was far greater than in the land. Without the fire of God . . . there is nothing to ignite an individual's purpose and passion.

The presence of God, symbolized by fire, is a really big deal. It is the difference of living with all-consuming passion or living as if we were dead.

Let the fire of God consume you.

Learning with you to live in the all-consuming fire of God,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)

And This Is His Plan

Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only prophet of the LORD who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. (I Kings 18:22, NLT)

I have a friend that works in a co-op with people that speak about their disgust and disdain for Christians. Their opinions have not only been formed through the media but through some hurtful experiences with people who have said they follow Christ. My friend says that working there is not hard because he knows that it is the plan of God. He does not let the people's comments get to him . . . but instead hopes that his words and actions of love will get to them . . . and they will want something more . . . a relationship with God.

The plan of God can seem so . . . well . . . mysterious. It seems to me that sometimes knowing the plan of God is much easier than we want it to be. Quite frequently people will say to me that they wish they knew what God wanted them to do . . . BUT . . . they continue doing things their way as if they are waiting for a memo from heaven. The thing is when we read the Old and New Testament the will of God . . . when all is said and done . . . without question . . . is for humanity to have a relationship with God . . . and this is His plan . . . to live in relationship with God.

I Kings 18 records Elijah standing alone for God as he faced 450 prophets of Baal. The plan remained the same . . . for all of them to be in relationship with God. This story clearly points us to the best way to live . . . in relationship with God. It is His plan.

The Apostle Paul wrote of the alignment of life through a relationship with God that is found through Christ in Ephesians.

And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ -- everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago.
God's purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. (Ephesians 1:10-12, NLT)

We can comprehend God’s plan through the life of Christ. And this is His plan . . . for God so loved the world that He came and communicated how to live.
Live the best life today . . . in relationship with God.
Align everything you think, say, and do through your relationship with God.
Learning with you to intentionally live in His plan,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)

What is your story?

Now bring all the people of Israel to Mount Carmel, with all 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who are supported by Jezebel."
So Ahab summoned all the people and the prophets to Mount Carmel.
Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How long are you going to waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!" But the people were completely silent. (I Kings 18: 19-20, NLT)

Last night, my professor described his experience of receiving a new heart through a heart transplant. He compared it to receiving a new heart from God. I finished reading his book last week; however, hearing his words brought a whole new dimension to his story. He explained that the recipient of the heart legally can't look for their own donor because there is a system in place to match the donor's heart to the recipient's heart. When the donor died, the heart and other organs were offered as a gift. My professor . . . near death . . . his heart barely functioning . . . had to simply accept or decline the offer of the new heart. After receiving the new heart, he has had to take medications and follow the doctor's prescribed way of living to maintain his health.

While I can't come close to telling my professor's story the way he did . . . in reality this is God's story . . . our story . . . sin separates humanity from God, creating an unhealthy heart and life. Humanity can't receive a new heart through their own doing . . . it is God's doing.

Christ . . . God with us . . . gave his life . . . out of love . . . so that we could receive a new heart . . . and experience a new life . . . energized . . . excited . . . alive. All we can do is say yes to a new heart and live the way God has prescribed in order to be healthy and whole. It is the story . . . that is revealed through God's Word.

Look at the story of Elijah and King Ahab. Elijah faced the King and his followers, confronting them, declaring the need for a relationship with God. They simply needed to make a decision . . . the rest was God's doing.

And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.(Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)

We are offered a new heart . . . new and right desires . . . a new spirit . . . an incredible life story.

Determine what your story is today.
Live out the story.
Celebrate a life lived with a new heart.
Live life to the fullest . . . alive in Christ.

Learning with you to live out the story of all stories,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)

Word Tools and Weapons

Elijah replied, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, by forsaking the commandments of the Lord and by following the Baals. (I Kings 18:18, Amplified)

There are some things that make me . . . well . . . very, very, cranky. One of those things is called gossip. I do not like gossip. In fact, I can't stand gossip. . . I love the gossiper and want to help the gossiper . . . but the gossiper needs to face the truth about what they are doing. Gossipers are more interested in attracting attention through their words than the truth. Gossipers cause friendships to break, marriages to dissolve, and trust to disappear. Gossipers lack courage and truth.

I am getting cranky just writing about gossip . . . I had one friend that lost his job because of gossip . . . even though there was an apology and words were retracted . . . damage occurred. One person began with adding a sentence or two in conversations that made people think he might not be doing his job appropriately. It took time but through the process of gossip, seeds of distrust were planted . . . words were twisted and turned until truth had been lost.

I Kings 18 records the discussion Elijah had a face to face conversation with King Ahab. He did not waste his time, effort, or energy on gossip. He spoke with courage and truth. Someone needed to face the king and confront what he was doing . . . Elijah confronted with truth . . . plain . . . simple . . . powerful truth and used it as a tool to change the world. The words were God empowered. Words both influence and impact for the good or destroy. Words are either constructive or destructive . . . encouraging or discouraging . . . focused on God or self . . . tools or weapons. How we use our words will shape and form the course of not only how we live but will have a ripple effect on families, neighborhoods, churches, schools, workplaces, and communities.

Proverbs tells us words can be life giving and refreshing:

A person's words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook. (Proverbs 18:4, NLT)

Take time to assess how you use your words.
Are your words tools or weapons?
What do your words say about you?

Use words that are life-giving and refreshing.
Refuse to gossip.
Use your words for good.
Learning with you to use words as tools rather than weapons,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)