Today’s Scripture Reading (May 29,
2013): 1 Kings 19
I still
remember a time when we were on holidays that we went sightseeing at night. I
know, what a bad time for a sightseeing trip! But that is what we were doing. I
am not sure where it was that we were, I want to say California, but we were
travelling down a road when the road abruptly ended at a gate. And beside the
gate was a gatehouse and inside the gatehouse was an armed official looking (at
least to a little kid) man. The man approached the car and then very politely
asked us what we were doing here, with a tone that clearly indicated the here
was a place we were definitely not supposed to be. As a child, I think I was sure
that we had stumbled onto Area 51 (and yes I know that Area 51 is in Nevada and
not California.) But the excitement and the clear message were the same.
Having said
all of that, I also am a little nervous about finding myself in a place that I really do not belong. It is the
question that I seem to continually ask myself – am I supposed to be here –
because as much as I am a very curious person, I am not comfortable in places
where I don’t feel that I belong. During my years of ministry I have on
occasion been speaking in places where the idea that do not belong here comes
back with a force. It might come through in a question or a comment, but in those
moments all I want to do is get out. In fact, there is one place where I still
speak on a regular basis where that is the overwhelming feeling. I know that I
have been asked (repeatedly) to come, but I still feel on some level that I
really do not belong.
Elijah has
come to a mountain of God. Experts on the Bible have long wondered if this
mountain might be the very one where Moses had met with God and received the
Ten Commandments – although there are some discrepancies in the text. But
Elijah has escaped from his daily life to spend time on the mountain. And the
first question that God asks him is “what are you doing here?” And the
underlying message is clear – Elijah, you are not supposed to be here. For
every person that feels that somehow they have to escape to some special spot
in order to connect with God, this passage would seem to disagree. Elijah’s
connection with God would never be stronger than when he was in his place of
ministry. Elijah has escaped from culture and has come to what might have been
the most sacred place imaginable only to find out that he is not supposed to be
there.
As we search
for the Holy, sometimes it feels like we are searching for Area 51. We are
frustrated by the fact that the holy places do not appear on any map – and sometimes
even when we think we have finally arrived, the question that have to deal with
is “what do you think you are doing here?” As weird as this might seem, the
only real place where we can plug into all that God has, is in that place where
God has placed us to minister to other people, places where we can do something
to alleviate suffering and bring peace – and be “God with skin on” in the midst
of all of the turmoil in this world. That is the place where we can ultimately
say that this is the place where we truly belong.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings
20
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