rather, although our outer self is wasting away,
our inner self is being renewed day by day.
In our readings today Elijah had reached the end of his rope. Everyone wanted to kill him, and he was looking for direction from God. God was not in the fire or the earthquake. God was in the peaceful quiet of a still small voice. That is how God spoke to Elijah and that is how He speaks to us. We as people are always talking and not listening. God was not done with Elijah and gave him additional tasks. ‘Go,’ the Lord said, ‘go back by the same way to the wilderness of Damascus. You are to go and anoint Hazael as king of Aram. You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.’
The reading from 2 Corinthians 4:16 was from last Sunday’s second reading and ties in perfectly to the way God speaks to us and how He spoke to Elijah. Elijah’s inner self was being renewed every day. Our bodies may fall apart or stay strong but our inner self is how we are renewed in spirit. After he performed his tasks above Elijah was assumed into heaven on a fiery chariot. (2Kings 2:11) As they walked on still conversing, a fiery chariot and fiery horses came between the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. To the best of my knowledge the only other person to be assumed to heaven was Mary.
Even then God was not done with Elijah. It was assumed by the Jewish scholars that Elijah would come back before the Messiah. Jesus was even thought to be Elijah, reincarnated. Elijah, nonetheless, did come back during the Transfiguration.
Funny how God works.
God was not done with Elijah, and he is not done with you or me. The most interesting thing about Elijah is how he knew the will of God for him. It seems that God works in subtle way and not in a grandiose way. For example, when stewardship season arises, a husband and wife will pray and negotiate what God is speaking to each one of them. The answer to God speaking to anyone of us is centered on quiet prayer and a relationship with the Triune God.
My wife, Anna, and I will come up with the same answer. If we have disagreement, Jesus always seems to come up with the answer. It is our relationship to Him and the Triune God that always comes up with the correct and godly answer.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace!
