TUESDAY 26th MAY 2020

MAY 26 MAY 2020

Good morning friends,

One of the questions that I have been hearing over the past couple of weeks is, ‘when do you think we will be able get back to church again?” As we begin to see a slow easing of lockdown folks are hoping to be able to worship together as a fellowship.

Of course the people of God are always church, whether we are worshiping together in a particular building, or worshiping in our own homes.

But, what people are missing I think is the gathering together, and that is understandable.

However, we are living in times of change, and that’s always been the case, we belong to a reformed tradition, and so the church and her calling is always re-forming and changing.

So, we must always aware of where the Spirit of God is moving among us and through us.

The people of God are, and have always been a travelling people, on the move, and for sure our God is a God of surprises, life is never boring when we are in tune with Him.

One man who knew this all too well was Elijah, the OT prophet, a faithful servant of the Lord.

He had been sent to speak a word from the Lord to King Ahab, who was leading a sinful life.

Elijah told the king that a great drought would fall upon the land, until the Lord spoke again.

So Elijah seemed pretty certain of his role in that land.

However, the after day the Prophet made his proclamation before King Ahab, Elijah’s work and ministry was dramatically changed.

He was sent by God to the Kerith Ravine, to hide away for a time, a place of social isolation.

There he was tended to by ravens, who brought to him bread and meat, and he was able to drink from a brook there. a time apart, a time to wait upon the Lord for direction.

After a time, the Lord spoke to him again, time to move out, but, not back to what he had been engaged in before, he was removed from what he thought was his primary calling as a prophet of the Lord to minister to a poor widow and her son outside the land of Israel.

You can read this account at 1 Kings 17:8-16

This woman was a widow, not just poor, but destitute, and probably without a real knowledge of the Lord. She was ready to eat her last meal with her son and then die of starvation.

Elijah sent by the Lord comes into her life and asks her for a drink...............and then for a piece of bread, and then asks her to trust that the Lord God of Israel would provide for her and her son.

The widow shares what little she has with Elijah, and God makes provision. Her jar of flour nor her jug of oil does not run out.

God is in control, he always was and always will be, and he will use the most unlikely of people and situations to bring about his plan for the salvation of his children.

Here in this account are so many pointers to the ministry of Jesus, the water, and bread of life, the oil of gladness, good news sent to the poor, mercy and grace poured out in abundance.

God calls, and God sends, and God’s purposes for good are revealed to those who trust and obey.

Do not be afraid.

There’s a song we sing here at Braehead House from time to time, which I think speak to us for such a time as this.

These are the days of Elijah Declaring the word of the Lord: And these are the days of Your servant Moses Righteousness being restored And though these are days of great trial Of famine and darkness and sword Still, we are the voice in the desert crying 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord!' (Robin Mark)