Walking With Christ

1 Kings 19:13-18  (13)And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  (14)He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts.  For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”  (15)And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus.  And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.  (16)And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.  (17)And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death.  (18)Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”(ESV)

God asked Elijah the same question twice:  “What are you doing here?”

Elijah answered both times with nearly the same words.  He described his faithfulness, Israel’s rebellion, the deaths of the prophets, and his belief that he was the only one left.

God didn’t keep debating Elijah’s assessment.  He gave him an assignment.

Return.  Anoint Hazael.  Anoint Jehu.  Call Elisha.

Elijah believed the work had collapsed around him.  God revealed that the work was already moving through nations, kings, prophets, and people Elijah couldn’t see.

The answer to “What are we doing here?” was no longer found in the cave.

It was found in what came next.

This’s often the real question after a necessary pause.  Once we have rested, recovered, listened, and taken stock of where we are, what’s the next work waiting to be done?

We may not receive the entire plan.

Elijah wasn’t told every detail of how those assignments would unfold.  He was simply given enough direction to leave the cave and begin.

The next task may be something we complete ourselves.  It may be something we begin for another person to finish.  Elijah’s work would continue through Elisha, and some of the instructions given to Elijah would be carried out through the prophetic work that followed him.

That matters.

Faithfulness isn’t always measured by whether we personally finish everything.  Sometimes it’s measured by whether we prepare the next person, start the next process, or place the work into faithful hands.

There’s a time to sit still.

There’s also a time to look at the tools, look at the unfinished work, and ask:  What’s next?

If the assignment is complete, then leave the jobsite.

But if the work remains, sitting beside it won’t finish it.

Rest when rest is required.  Wait when waiting is commanded.

Then, when the next assignment is clear, get up and do the work.