The Walk back from Horeb... or wherever.

     "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me.  New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.  I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to Me;  I am weary of bearing them.  So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you;  Yes, even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen.  Your hands are covered with blood.  
     Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.  Cease to do evil.  Learn to do right!  Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.  Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. 'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD."
(followed by repentance, forgiveness, obedience) ("..for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.")
                                                                                               (Isaiah 1:13-18ish)
     So often we stand in church and sing songs of confession, of redemption; songs of strong emotions which may not really be our own.  We celebrate holidays, put on big productions and do a whole lot of work in the name of God.
                           BUT..... WHAT IF....

   What if God doesn't care a hoot?  It sounds like He doesn't.  We sort of have a vague, misplaced feeling when we stop to actually think.  Deep down, we know we are missing the point.. yet we keep doing what we've always done.  We burn out, grow cynical and wonder where God is in all of our religious activity.  Why can't we feel His Presence even though we are doing all the "right" things?

      But relationships can't be bought- especially with our wild and untamed God.  He is not to be controlled by our lists of "relationship builders" or service pledges.

                           "'Safe?' said Mr. Beaver; 'Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? 

                                 Who said anything about safe?  Course he isn't safe.

                               But he's good.   He's the King, I tell you.'"

                                                  (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis)

     He is sought, sought out in a huge, epic of all human lifetimes... and in the end, He finds us and we acknowledge our absolute failure.  We loose, He wins, and we are the gainer. 

               1 Chronicles 28:9    2 Chronicles 7:14    Isaiah 55:6     Matthew 6:33
              
     Isaiah 55 reminds us to "seek the LORD while He may be found;"  it also reminds us that His ways are not our ways.   Maybe it's time to start seeking Him His way..  It was not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire but in the gentle whisper- that God asked, "What are you doing here?"   (1 Kings 19)

    Well.  What are we doing here?  Sitting in church, singing praise songs to convince ourselves that the worship music reflects our own heart, running events, running our families everywhere, running, running... being zealous for God as Elijah was.... running from that gentle whisper.

"whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying,
                     "This is the way; walk in it."
                                                                     (Isaiah 30:21)

   Do you not yearn to hear this?!  to no longer be plagued by self doubt?! to know have the confidence that you hear your Master and are doing His will.. doing the right thing... pleasing Him?  and yet, even in the same passage in Isaiah 1, we are given some of God's will- some of His values.  "wash..remove the evil...cease to do evil...do right.. seek justice... encourage..defend..plead"  Maybe these "activities" are more His idea of Christianity... but it's still all about relationship and no activity will buy it or earn it.  Nor can we learn it.  We must listen and apply.

     So turn everything off so you can hear.  Run for your spiritual life to seek our God epically.  Elijah ran (more for his physical life!) and ended up at the broom tree, then ran for 40 days and nights to Horeb.. and on that Mountain of God,  he heard God- not as he suspected he would, but as God chose to reveal Himself.

                 Was the run worth it?
                  Yes.
                 Now, for the walk back.

Like Elijah, I've run from enemies "without and within" and now I'm walking back from the Mountain.  I don't know where I am going.. but I will sure be listening for the Voice behind me.  I want to know the Way and the path.  and this time... it won't be something I think me and God came up with together.. some little cosmic compromise... it'll be all Him.