Hide yourself

The more we press and hurry to accomplish things for God through our own efforts, the more His power escapes out of us. This happened in the Old Testament again and again. Israel was constantly moving away from God, frustrating His plans for them and depriving Him of the glory that He deserved as their faithful deliverer.

At times, Israel even allied with pagan armies to defend themselves against greater enemies, which God had forbidden them to do. We have the same trend today. Our flesh is simply inclined to want to go faster than God.

Elijah knew what it meant to wait for the Lord. I like this verse about him : "And the word of the LORD came to Elijah, saying : ... hide yourself" (1 Kings 17: 2-3). I think these are the hardest words to hear for any disciple of Jesus. This is the equivalent of the time Jesus said to His disciples : "Wait." The Lord is faithful to act at the time He chooses, if we accept to wait.

For the disciples, the wait lasted a few weeks. For Elias, it lasted three years. This was the time of famine in Israel after God spoke to him. Imagine how difficult it must have been for Elijah. He had received a word from God that was burning in his heart - but he was ordered to be silent for three long years.

But once these years have passed, God said to Elijah : "Go, stand before Ahab, and I will rain on the face of the ground" (18: 1). At the appointed time, Elijah took part in an incredible blessing that God had planned for his people.

Today, many of us "come forward" before the time set by God. We then exhaust ourselves, and we tire of accomplishing the work of God. My friend, the only power we will ever have to accomplish the work of God will come from the time spent in prayer.

Gary Wilkerson