One day last week, on the way back to my nook I ran into a severe storm. The rain got so thick I could barely see to drive. You know the kind! Being the dummy that I am, I slowed way down but kept moving forward - despite not being able to see past the frontend of my van. As I topped a hill some five miles or so from home the sun began to light up the sky above the rain clouds. It was still raining like crazy, yet now my visibility was also hampered by this overwhelming glare of sunlight. Then suddenly it appeared. The rain had barely let up a bit, yet there was this awesome looking rainbow right there in front of me. Not in the distance ahead, or off to one side or the other, it totally engulfed me and my soccer-mom van. At first I thought it was merely an oily film on my windshield that the rain and sunshine was reflecting off of, but then I rolled down my window and I could see that the entire four-lane highway around me was covered with this beautiful array of colours. I was literally at the end of a rainbow.
Here's a few things I learned immediately: First and foremost, there wasn't a pot of gold anywhere in sight. Stinking Irish folklore! And secondly, rainbows move. They do to! I always thought God planted rainbows in one place, then arched it way over to wherever, and it stayed put to remind everyone of His promise to Noah and the rest of us. Just as I was told as a kid. Not so fast says the Maker of rainbows, to this stunned and shallow thinking human-being. Rainbows also come in the mobile variety, or maybe they all move I don't know yet. Regardless, I found myself not only at the end of the rainbow, but I was also traveling along with it. Apparently I was driving at or about the same speed the rainbow was traveling. And not just me. I looked to my left as a couple passed me in a car where the lady was sitting in the passenger seat, leaning on the dashboard, taking pictures with her cell phone. Our eyes met for a split second and I could see her look of amazement, as I'm sure she could mine. This went on for nearly a mile or so, not me looking at the car next to me, but riding along inside the rainbow. No lie! What an overwhelming number of thoughts and questions crossed my mind during that time. As the great prophet of old, Bart Simpson would say, It was awesome, dude!
I slowed down as I reached into my briefcase for my digital camera. Struggling to get it out of the carrying case while keeping the car in my lane so I pulled over to the shoulder. As quickly as I could I turned the camera on and began taking pictures. The problem became obvious though, for as soon as I stopped the car I got out of pace with the rainbow as it continued to move on, heading straight toward the city. I tried chasing after it, but gained no ground. The somewhat flooded highway, and the continuous downpour created a situation far too dangerous for fast driving. Now that I think about it, maybe I really am getting old, for there was a time... Anyway, I finally concluded the chase was futile as the rainbow sped through town much faster than the speed limits would allow me to. Although I was able to get a few distant shots with my camera I missed out on the opportunity to capture the beauty of it as it surrounded me and my van. You'll just have to believe me, it really did happen. Maybe it's happened to you as well I don't know, but for this fifty-one year old man it was a first.
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Last Sunday I heard a couple of people speak about God's chosen prophet, Elijah and his big show down on the mountaintop with the prophets of Baal - which is well known scripture from the 1st. Book of Kings. As typically is the case when this story is retold the focus is always on the main event of the story. You know, when God sends fire down to set ablaze the water-soaked wood Elijah had placed upon the altar. So many seem to easily find the obvious lessons of faith, and God's power in these few verses, yet I rarely hear sermons or comments about that event without thinking about the whole story. You see, for whatever reason no one ever wants to talk about what happens next. What happens after Elijah does his victory lap around the mountainside of Carmel and has all of Baal's men killed. What happens after he sends his servant out seven times to the mountain's edge to get an updated weather report before the rain clouds finally formed. What happens after he tucks his robe in his belt and chases down, and then outruns Ahab's chariot all the way to Jezreel. What happens next and why, is it rarely ever talked about?
If you really look at the characteristics of Elijah you'll find he wasn't the most humble of all God's servants. As a matter of fact he was a little "full of himself" at times, for which he became known as the "trouble maker of Israel." The whole fire raining down on the altar contest wasn't something he simply gave into. No it was his idea. And when he couldn't get the fish (Baal's boys) to bite immediately, he taunted them until they finally gave in save face. That's one of the reasons he made sure all the people of Israel was present for the big show down. He boastfully reminded anyone that would listen, over and over that it was him, (a mere Army of One), versus four hundred-fifty of Baal's finest, though he wasn't afraid. He, himself came up with the contest rules, and then pushed them into going first, as if to say "Come on boys, give me your best shot." Oh no, Elijah wasn't humble at all. He was more like a traveling pool hustler arriving in town to take some easy money from the local boys that have no clue as to what's fixin' to happen. He taunts and bullies his opponents to no end, not unlike many today that proudly declare to have God on their side. (Please excuse the side-bar commentary, I can't seem to help myself sometimes.)
But here's the real lesson in the story - at least for me anyway. It isn't about how great God is, I already know that. It isn't about Elijah's running skills or his masterful salesmanship, for what's that to me anyway. It isn't about how God can choose to use even the somewhat foolish ones for His purpose, for I surely know this one first hand. Yet, for me it's really all about what happens with Elijah after his public encounter with God. I know you probably remember this, but it's worth repeating; When Ahab gets to Jezreel he runs over to Jezebel's house of ill-repute and updates her to the events back at Mount Carmel. She, in turn sends word to Elijah that by the same time the next day she'll have him killed, or let God strike her down also. (Oh my, we have a threat of violence here, it's getting interesting). In one corner we have the mildly feared, demon possessed harlot of the south, and in the other corner stands the undefeated and most powerful heavyweight champion that God himself has chosen. It's The Rumble in Jazreel or something like that. Where's Don King when you need him? By any account it should be a pretty good contest - the fight of the century, right?
So what does the bold, speedy and powerful prophet of the Lord, just coming off his enormous upset victory in front of a packed out mountaintop stadium do? My Bible puts it fairly simply: Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. What? Even after experiencing all that he had, seeing first-hand how mighty God truly is, he chooses to run off like a scared chicken because Jezebel threatens him. Wow! Where's his audacious faith in God now? Where's all his boasting, and oneupmanship? He could face down 450 men a few days earlier, but not a single woman? (No offense intended women!) But, come on you big sissy, at least stay and fight it out. You're supposed to be "representin" God dude!
Here's what's at the heart of this story for me. Maybe some of us don't like talking about the full version of this story, because it looks a whole lot like our lives? One minute were living the life of a conquerer, smoking big cigars and buying the crowd drinks, and next we're hiding beneath a rock, or in the belly of a fish. Though God's power is absolute, yet for some of us our faith may be much more fragile than we would ever want others to know. We can be bold enough to overturn tables and chase merchants from the temple one day, and then be seen running scared for our lives the next. Maybe it's that we're so much like Elijah, Jonah, Peter, Sarai, Thomas, Zacchaeus, Adam, Eve, Cain, and Paul, etc. that it shames us to admit it. We can be found full of faith at times, and then running on empty the next day.
Just like Elijah, some of us can be found almost everyday chasing after God or running from some person or some situation in our life. Full of energy to give chase to the Almighty one moment, yet too afraid to step out of the boat the next. Sometimes the situations that can scare us from the chase can be simply what we know to be God's Will for our lives. Or the ministry He has called us into. Or, staying put in the place He has put us. Or maybe, just maybe we can be found running from God, himself. I believe there's a reason the Bible is chocked full of stories of the same weak people with character flaw issues as we see in our world today. I believe it's because He knows that in our weaknesses His strength can be seen so much more clearly by those that need to see Him. I find His strength to be in is His love, His grace, His mercy, and His sovereignty. In the perfect world His strength is all that is needed. Yet, we all know how much more beautiful it is when it's told through the tales of our struggles and failures in this imperfect world we actually live in.
I openly admit, I too am an Elijah! Lately I've stopped chasing after God, and started running scared of what might happen in my future, or I've been too busy chasing after rainbows instead. Thus, you haven't seen any journal items from me for the past couple of months.
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Most of you, no doubt have read Tommy Tenney's "God Chasers" book as I have. I love that Tenney had the boldness to declare in it that he was sick and tired of reading about where God had been in the past, and instead hungered to be where God was in the right now. I believe he received a lot of unfair criticism for that statement, yet in my opinion he's right on the money. I'm just like many others, such as Tenney in that don't want to spend anymore time gazing at pictures of rainbows. Instead I want to be riding along with one. In other words, I don't want to be huddled up in church any longer, singing and praying the same ol - same ol. I've grown tired of only reading and hearing stories of how the folks of old experienced an encounter with God - I want to experience God first-hand today myself! I want Him to come crashing in with a bang loud enough to wake the dead, as well as the unconscious and lifeless people our churches are so full of today.
In my heart I still want to chase after God until my feet give out. I want to run as far and as long as I need to until I have one close encounter, and then another. I heard someone recently declare that their church service on Sunday morning wasn't a visit to a rest stop. It was more like pulling up to a gas pump. Yeah, now that's what I'm talking about! Filling up the tank and getting back to the chase. For I think if we only seek to find an encounter with God between 10 - 12 on Sunday mornings before heading out for the shortest buffet line then we're giving up a whole lot of other opportunities during the week to experience the greatness of His presence. I don't know about you, but I want Him right now, today, and then again all day tomorrow. I don't want to wait and hope that a preacher or worship leader can lead me to Him on Sunday morning, or on Wednesday night. I'm chasing after what He promised me - Him! Seek and ye shall find - knock and it shall be opened - ask and it shall be given. It doesn't get much simiplar than that.
I recently loaned my wife's copy of Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" to Pastor Bobby, a friend of mine. Before handing it to him, I told him that since he was already preaching the same message as Chan he might as well read his book. He read it alright, as well as did his wife Carolyn. Then they went out and bought as many copies as they could find, and gave them away. You see, Pastor Bobby, isn't just preaching about the possibilities of living a life controlled by a crazy love for Christ, he's living it. So much so, that the denomination he has been associated with for almost of his entire life, (and he's quite a few years older than I am) is asking him to conform back to their way or churching, or get out. You gotta absolutely love religiosity don't you - not!
At this point in his life he's choosing to chase after God as opposed to following the "guidelines" of a denomination, and it doesn't seem to be a very hard choice either, and his congregation agrees. I'm very proud to call this man my friend.
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I wish I could say to you that last week while engulfed in that rainbow, I felt God's overwhelming presence amidst the beauty of the moment. That as I was covered with the colours of such an unusual meteorological event I also felt a mighty and moving experience through the Holy Spirit. I wish I could say truthfully that it was a moment fit to be included in the writings of the Bible, but I can't. For one reason, my wife reads these and she knows how hard it's been to see even the slightest evidence of Christ in my life lately. That's hard to admit, but it's never the less true. I've been so caught up lately in my own situations and circumstances - just as Elijah, I've ran, and ran and ran, until I found myself hiding in a cave waiting for the inevitable to happen.
The part I really like about Elijah's story (as well as my own) is that even with all of the lack of faith, all the character flaws, and the succumbing to fear - God stayed with him, me. In the depths of the cave God asked him simply, What are you doing here? Elijah, like me gave him some ridiculously sounding answer, and then God orders him to get his scared butt up and come outside and face his fears. Elijah does so and a great wind blows across the front of the cave, yet God wasn't in the wind. A great earthquake rumbles through the mountain range, yet God wasn't in the earthquake. Then a great fire rose up all around him, yet God wasn't in the fire either. Finally when all was silent, and Elijah grew quiet he experienced God in a still, small voice, and once again God asked, What are you doing here Elijah - Doug?
For far too long, I've been hiding out in my own cave of sorts, and yet once again He's spoken in a still, small voice through what I've seen from my friend Bobby's situation. And now I'm ready to once again begin the chase. No, not chasing after rainbows, or any man-made project or ministry, yet after God himself. I'm hoping and praying for another close encounter with Him through the splendor of the Holy Spirit manifested in a church service like the ones of my past, or even during a quiet time at home all alone. In the car during a rain storm, or while simply talking with a friend, or praying along side my wife.
I want God, and I want a lot of Him! I don't want Him in a box or just in a book. Instead I want Him more and more in my life, turning everything that I know or think to be true upside-down leaving me in awe of His wondrous ways! So, if you see me at your church next Sunday you'll know now why I'm there. It's not to sit in the pew beside you, although I would enjoy that as well. It's not to hear your voice sing beautiful songs of praise, nor will it be to jot down notes from your pulpit insight as to what God's message for our lives is, although I can use all the help understanding this that I can get. No, I'll be there looking to once again experience first-hand God's presence in a very real and tangible way, and for no other reason.
I know, as well as Pastor Bobby does - He is worthy of our chase!
Who knows, maybe we'll see each other at the end of a rainbow soon, and if so I sure hope you bring a pot of gold with you. doug
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