No Excuses

1 Kings 18:46

The power of the Lord came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

The story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel, 1 Kings 18, is one I've heard and read several times, yet this particular verse stood out to me as I read this passage in 1 Kings. There had been a drought for some time, brought on by Elijah's prayers to God. Elijah had just finished the challenge on Mt. Carmel in which God proved He was the only true God. Afterwards, Elijah told Ahab to go back and eat and drink because a heavy rain was coming. Elijah stayed on Mt. Carmel a while longer, and he told his servant to look toward the sea. He did this seven times, and the seventh time,  his servant said he saw a small cloud rising from the sea. Elijah sent his servant ahead of him to tell Ahab to get his chariot ready to go before the rain comes. As the sky grew black and the wind began to blow, a heavy rain came. Elijah was filled with the power of the Lord, with divine energy, so to speak and he ran a distance of about 20 - 25 miles, passing Ahab in his chariot on the way.

The power of God was displayed in Elijah's life because he was following the plan God had for him. He was obedient even when many were against him. When I am doing what God has called me to do, His power and strength will be displayed through me. There have been many times in my life, I have felt inadequate to complete something God was leading me to do. I tend to shy away at first from doing it, using my weaknesses as an excuse. Then, I am reminded through Scripture that when God calls me to do something, He also equips me to do it. It is through my weaknesses that God's strength and power shine. Paul realized this as he was struggling with the "thorn" God placed in his life. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, God told him that His (God's) power is made perfect in his (Paul's) weakness. Paul was able to say he delighted in his weaknesses because he was able to experience God's strength in those times, "...for when I am weak, then I am strong." The Bible has several other verses speaking to God's strength. I've listed a small sampling below.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Philippians 2:13

...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.

Hebrews 13:20-21

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

I love what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4. I've included verses 1-7 below.

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbeliever so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I encourage you to read the remainder of 2 Corinthians 4. It is such an encouragement for those times when I get tired and discouraged. Paul says twice in this chapter to "not lose heart." The troubles I experience on this earth are only temporary and they "are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." This Christian life is difficult, but the end is worth it all.

When I'm in the center of God's will, doing what He's called me to do, I'm going to experience adversity like Jesus did and so many of the prophets in the Old Testament and apostles in the New Testament. Satan hates it when I'm obedient to God. Paul, in the verse above, tells me not to lose heart; to continue to speak the truth no matter what the response because it is Jesus I'm preaching not myself. I love that last verse where Paul refers to the gospel and God's light as a treasure within my "jar of clay," my plain, frail body. I am insufficient on my own. I cannot make it without God, even though there are many times I think I can.

If I want to experience God's power and strength flowing through me, then I need to realize my insufficiency and allow God to shine through my weaknesses. Elijah was obedient to God and he was filled with God's power and strength to be able to stand up to those against him. I need to be obedient to God no matter what others may think or say. Because God gives me everything I need to do what He's called me to do, I have no excuse to be disobedient!