Sketched XI Day 11 Wearied, Worn; Rested, Revived

July 3, 2023 by Shannelle Logan Leave a Comment

Sketched XI Day 11 Wearied, Worn; Rested, Revived

Shannelle Logan

July 3, 2023

Believe,Deliver,Hope,Identity,Lonely,Mighty

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 19
Hosea 13:1-9
Isaiah 45:1-19
1 Peter 2:1-10

It was not supposed to end this way.

I shouldn’t be here, hiding under this stupid broom tree.
I can’t do this anymore, Yahweh.

I’ve spent three years being stalked by the shadow of death, whether from the wicked king and queen of Israel or the drought and famine brought on by their abandonment of You, Yahweh.

I OBEYED You and prophesied the drought was coming. In my ensuing time at the Wadi Kidron and with the widow of Zarephath, You brought me to know You.

You are sovereign
You are enough
You are omnipotent
You are truth
You are jealous
You are revealed.

I OBEYED You as You revealed Yourself to be the one true God of Israel,
defeating the prophets of Baal.
I OBEYED You, announcing the return of the rain to the land.

Yahweh, we have come so far together, You and I. I expected You to remove King Ahab and Queen Jezebel from power in an act of final victory. Instead, Jezebel has unleashed her fury, swearing to end my life. (1 Kings 19:1-2)

My hope has been crushed; I can no longer walk among the land of the living. “I have had enough!” I wail to the cloud-laden heavens. Collapsing into the dust, I murmur a final prayer of despair. “LORD, take my life, for I’m no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4-5) I am wearied and worn. Let me sleep and not wake up.

I feel something shaking me, but I don’t have the energy to open my eyes. A calm voice pierces my malaise. “Get up and eat.” (1 Kings 19:5) As I rub the crust from my eyes, I take in the scene before me. An angelic figure stoops before a gently glowing fire. There is a jar of clear water I immediately reach for to ease my parched throat. To my surprise it is cold and refreshing! And a fluffy warm cake beckons me from the fire’s stones.

But I’m still tired and sadness still grips my soul. The angelic figure radiates peace, and I lay down again to rest.

“Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” (1 Kings 19:7) My angelic visitor has prepared another meal, then taken a seat by the crackling fire. As I sit beside him, I am cooled by a lingering breeze.

Feeling rested and revived from the food, sleep, and the angel messenger, I gather myself and begin walking. I need help, encouragement. My purpose seems to have been swept away. The heaviness of loneliness and, dare I, the prophet Elijah who called down fire from Heaven, say it aloud, am shot through with fear. I’m not sure where I’m headed, but I know my angelic visitor had been intentionally sent to revive me for the path my feet will tread.

Forty days and nights later, I find a cave on the mountainside.
Mt. Horeb.
The place Moses met with Yahweh.

The mountain that had once quaked and smoked with the presence of the Lord as He gave His law to us. My soul trembles within me as my wearied and worn body climbs the cliffs, desperately looking for hope. I can’t stop the tears from running down my beard or the sobs from shaking my shoulders as I am plagued by the extreme ways Israel ravages the relationship with Yahweh represented by that covenant law. How wicked Israel’s rebellion! How ineffective I feel against such darkness. The weight of failure threatens to bury me alive. Anxious, I huddle far from the entrance to the cave, lest I attract dangerous attention. I am exhausted and confused; does Yahweh still see me?

“What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9)

I recognize the quiet voice that has directed me along every step of the last three years.
Peace floods as familiarity embraces me, strengthening me.

Yahweh.

All of my questions and fears come tumbling out.
“I have been very zealous for the LORD God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:10)

It is a relief to finally get the words out. Yahweh responds, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD’s presence.” (1 Kings 19:11)

A fierce wind streams into the cave and I cling to the craggy walls. Massive rocks are ripping out of the mountain and breaking into pieces at the cave’s mouth.

But the wind subsides, and Yahweh is not there.

I’m confused and just as I recover, an earthquake hits, dropping me to my hands and knees. Fear grips me as the mountain shakes around me.

But the movement of the Earth subsides, and Yahweh is not there.

A blazing fire appears at the mouth of the cave, burning with such intensity that no creature could come near. Even a distance away, the heat saps my remaining strength.

But the fire fades away, and Yahweh is not there.

Finally, a soft whisper reaches my ears.
I wrap my face into my cloak and make my way to the entrance of the cave.

“What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:13)

Though I see no one, I feel His presence and repeat my answer.
But this time, instead of self-righteous indignation and a thinly-veiled challenge to DO SOMETHING, my words are laced with a deep assurance of Yahweh’s sustaining power.

He has sustained me, a follower of the true God, in a wicked time.
He has sustained me through drought and famine.
He has sustained me through a stunning revelation of His holy jealousy over His children.
And yes, He has sustained me as I flee, yet again, for my life.

As Yahweh directs me to anoint a new generation of kings and prophets who are devoted to Him, I realize I have never been alone. Yahweh has been working out His plan all along.

Two weeks later, I arrive in Abel-meholah, and find a young man named Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. I walk into the rain-soaked, muddy fields and cast my cloak onto the young man’s shoulders.

A Note About Sketched

In Sketched themes, we imaginatively step into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally.

We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters viewed God, themselves, and the world around them.

Perhaps we will find parts of our story reflected in theirs!

Tags :

carried,courage,despair,faith,hope,life

Share This :

Recent Journeys

Done Day 11 Reconciled Redemption

August 7, 2023

The GT Weekend! ~ Known, Week 3

July 29, 2023

Known Day 15 Jehovah Nissi: Digging Deeper

July 28, 2023

Sketched XI, Day 12
Digging Deeper

I will go before you and level the uneven places I will shatter the bronze doors and cut the iron bars in two.

I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

I call you by your name, for the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen one. I give a name to you, though you do not know me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know me,

so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Dig Deeper!

Can We Pray With You?

Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

This Week's Lock Screen

Explore This Journey Theme!

Join a GT POD!

Authentically living out a life of worship to the God who rescued us from darkness requires accountability and intentionality. Join a GT POD and take the next step in your faith journey!

Join the GT Facebook Community!

Free Registration!

Share Your Story!

Sketched X Day 2 Family Tree: Digging Deeper

July 12, 2022 by Patty Scott Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Family Tree!

The Questions

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?

Genesis 45:7-8

God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. ⁸Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
This passage in Genesis comes after Joseph is already well established in Egypt. He had been nearly murdered by his brothers, sold into slavery, risen up in power under Potiphar only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, then sent to prison, given authority in prison, but left there, seemingly forgotten. Then, at the right time, Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream. The outcome of that exchange resulted in Joseph’s elevation to lord over Pharaoh’s household; he became second in command only to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. Joseph’s reflection in Genesis 50:19-20 reflects God’s purpose in the overall story and timing of every aspect of Joseph’s long journey. Joseph said to his brothers who had plotted his death, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
When we look at the full narrative of Joseph’s life, it’s obvious how God used all the circumstances that led up to Joseph’s high position in Egypt to both prepare Joseph (by humbling him and teaching him to depend upon God) and use him to bless a nation. If we divided Joseph’s story into segments, they would appear fruitless and perhaps could be seen as evidence of God abandoning someone who was faithful. Joseph acted rightly in the house of Potiphar yet was accused of adultery and unjustly imprisoned. Only looking at this scene could lead us to discount God’s faithfulness and “prove” God had abandoned Joseph. If we zoom in on Joseph’s years of being forgotten in prison after he accurately interpreted a dream and he pleaded to be remembered, we may feel God is unjust because Joseph’s circumstances were unfair. But when we see the whole of Joseph’s story we discover the ultimate, very good outcome of Joseph’s life. Even Joseph’s own lips attest of God’s supreme sovereign faithfulness. The Lord used every circumstance of Joseph’s life to position Joseph in just the right place, at just the right time so that only Joseph’s family would be saved, but the nation of Israel would flourish.

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
Joseph’s life journey was fraught with trouble, persecution, injustice, and hardship; it seemed to never end and was surely pocked with disbelief and doubt along the way. But the Lord’s love was relentless to not only finish His work for Israel but to also finish His work in Joseph’s heart. Joseph didn’t always trust the Lord steadfastly, but at the close of his narrative, he testifies of the good plans of the Lord. God developed Joseph’s faith through suffering. Joseph trusted God more fully as he grew in knowledge of God and His faithful character. Perhaps the greatest example of this truth is the cross of Christ, which would surely have been the greatest tragedy in all of history as it threatened to kill the Author of Life. But God in His love and sovereign authority used the cruelty of death to bring about our own salvation and reconciliation to God that was once an impossible gulf to span because of our sin’s heavy debt. If we could see Christ’s death through the eyes of the eleven remaining disciples during the first days after the crucifixion we would see utter tragedy and defeat. But the cross was a pathway and a means, not an end. Through the supreme suffering of Jesus, God reconciled the ungodly (all of us) to Himself, and made a way where there was no way so we could be called sons and daughters of God. (2 Corinthians 6:18) When we witness God turning the greatest tragedy into the greatest gain, we can trust God more fully with every hardship we endure. He is the same God now as He was at the cross. He is the God who went to the cross for us; such lavish love! (Romans 8:32)

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
God’s plans for His people, both individually and corporately, involve a far deeper and broader scope than we can see or fathom. His plans are laid to work good for many even though they involve the temporary suffering of one or more people to achieve His ultimate blessing. Jeremiah 29:11 conveys this essential principle of God moving on behalf of His people as He spoke through the prophet to the nation of Israel who faced exile and captivity, “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God is light, and in Him is no darkness whatsoever. (1 John 1:5) He is not the author of evil. (Job 34:12) He has no pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm 5:4) God has allowed evil in the world because He permitted humanity’s freedom of choice, and we chose sin, and will always choose sin when we act out of our sin nature. Even this gift of freedom to choose, like everything else God does, flows from His character essence of absolute love. (1 John 4:16) His will is good and perfect toward all His creation, emanating from His heart of love. This love is perfect, true, and trustworthy which is why we can rejoice in our sufferings and endure hardship. We confidently know and attest to the reality that God is working all things together for the good of those He loves and those who are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
God’s plans allow for suffering, which can make us squirm in our theological seats, but because of His goodness, our suffering is never in vain when we surrender our lives to His authority. (Hebrews 12:7) When we remember God’s character and we recall that He is incapable of sin or evil, we can view our circumstances in a new light. We can remember that God is constantly at work to do His good pleasure in the hearts and lives of His followers. (Philippians 2:13) He is working all things together according to His plans for good and He will graciously bless us and make us more like Himself in the process. (Romans 8:29) In light of this reality, the author of Hebrews encourages, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees.” (Hebrews 12:11-12) His plans are firm and unwavering, flowing from His heart. (Psalm 33:11) What He plans, He will do. “The Lord of heavenly forces has promised: As I intended, so it will be; and as I have planned, so it will happen.” (Isaiah 14:24)

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
We are prone to wander and drift, doubt and mistrust for we are each just as human as Joseph. We remain strong in our faith when things are going well and we sense God’s presence in our lives, but when God feels far, or our circumstances try us, our weak flesh easily doubts God’s goodness, care, love, and faithfulness. When we remember how God provided for Joseph, or for the Israelites in the desert for forty years, we cannot miss His constant presence and perpetual work even if it seems slow and too long to us. He never abandoned despite Israel’s rebellion and faithlessness for abandonment goes against His character. (2 Timothy 2:13) He is Emmanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) He is not a God who is far, but a God who is near. This truth allows us to drop our anxieties. (Philippians 4:4-5) So many places in His word He echoes the truth of His nearness, His care, and His provision. In the short run, it may appear we have been overcome or that life is hopeless and we are helpless, but that is never the whole picture for all who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Let’s choose to remember God’s presence, His purposes, His goodness, His past actions on our behalf and in history so we can endure trials by keeping our eyes set upon His love. (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Family Tree!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched X Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Whole Day 8 Identifying The Oppression

June 29, 2022 by Rebecca Adams 2 Comments

Whole Day 8 Identifying The Oppression

Rebecca Adams

June 29, 2022

Anger,Broken,Confession,Cross,Deliver,Design,Forgiven,Freedom

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 22:3-5
Proverbs 31:8-9
Zechariah 7:9-10
John 1:1-16

The snarls of a sinister enemy snaked through the goodness of Eden, deviously plotting the downfall of the Almighty who had cast him from His glorious presence.
How the enemy loved himself. How he loathed the Almighty.

Humanity would pay the price of the enemy’s sickening self-love by carrying his pride in their hearts, grooming it, making it their own, then calling it righteousness by justifying their selfish pride to the Almighty. Perfectly mimicking the enemy’s craft which had earned him ejection from The Presence.

“I’ll make it appealing”, the enemy drooled with demonic delight darkening his eerie eyes. Love for self, hatred for others. His breathing slowed as his shadow fell across Eve’s innocent face as she delighted in the husband she’d been lovingly given by the Maker. “I’ll make them murderers of one another as they feast frenetically upon the lusts of their flesh”, his callous thoughts crept through him as quickly as the greed glowed in his belly. “Almighty will not have the final word. I will make His beautiful creation suffer. In killing them, I will kill Him”.

Then, adorning his luscious invitation with a lethal portion of deception, the enemy lured Eve with a single question meant to draw her into his grasp and under his oppression. “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1) For if you question God and His goodness, you question everything.

We know the rest of the story. Innocent Adam and Eve ensconced in Eden’s luscious beauty, wide eyes curious at the heavy fruit in hand.

One.
Single.
Sin.
Death had snatched Life away.

Perfection had now fallen under the monstrosity of ominous oppression.
Corruption held the scepter and the enemy laughed, sure of his venomous victory.
The world wouldn’t need to learn to hate, kill, lust, thieve, gossip, eye-roll, bicker, and mock for oppression was now written into their DNA.

Natural man would take after their new father and sin’s self-love would spread like an uncontrollable wildfire, ravaging, killing, destroying everything from atoms to earthworms to bodies with earthquakes, poison, divorce, genocide, slavery, abortion, addiction, and the like. Nothing was untouched by oppression’s insidious sickness.

How do we identify oppression?
We look for the darkness.
We look for the absence of Light.

On the grand scale and the small ones. As we look at the nations and inside the isolated islands of our homes, oppression rages on. Cancer, mental illness, abuse, tragedy, complaining, bitterness, anger, slander, murder. It hides its snarling sickness in rage and rape and behind the gruesome masks of bigotry, prejudice, pretentious piety, and chauvinism. Oppression’s enslavement marks us all; it’s meant to kill, demean, and destroy for Sin and Death are its father.

The enemy hates the Almighty and oppresses His people.
The Almighty hates the work of the Father of Lies and every single act of oppression.
But lest we walk away with the ludicrous assumption the enemy and the Almighty are equal in force, hear the Word of the Lord.

Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook because he burned with anger.
Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it.
He bent the heavens and came down,
total darkness beneath his feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his hiding place,
dark storm clouds his canopy around him.
From the radiance of his presence, his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals. The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard.

He shot his arrows and scattered them;
he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.
The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out to a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
For you rescue an oppressed people,
but you humble those with haughty eyes.
(Psalm 18:7-19, 27)

Long before the crafty serpent had even considered the plot of his disastrous deceit in Eden, the Almighty already knew of Satan’s vile plan, and He’d already decided to sacrifice Himself for His people.

Yes, Satan plotted to slay humanity pressing them farther and farther from the Father who lovingly crafted them to enjoy relationship with Him.
But in a radical act of unfathomable humble love, the Almighty allowed Himself to be slain by the sinners, then rise again to conquer sin and death forever. Death had been swallowed whole by Life! (1 Corinthians 15:54)

Yes, oppression’s foul stench is everywhere in our world, but the Light of the Victor shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) As Christ-followers run toward the broken, the battered, the lonely, the fearful, and yes, even the angry and abusive, we bring with us, the victorious light of the One who has conquered Sin and Death forever.

Oppression’s power is vanquished by One Name, The Lord Jesus Christ.
(Philippians 2:10-11)

See the oppression, surrender your own rebellion, and fearlessly carry the Light of Love by the power of Jesus into the world around you for nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5)

Tags :

beginning,Christ,curse,Eden,hope,Oppression,rescue,Satan,Savior,Sin,victory

Share This :