The Weekly Epistle 4/15/20

Life is rather interesting at times.  At 1:20 AM on resurrection Sunday Noelle Temperance was born to Mark and Heather Dube.  And shortly after 3 AM Ann Marsden, my wife’s mom, passed into glory.  Within two hours of each other a new life entered this world and another one left.  
 
Have you ever heard about the post Easter blues?  In my world when that is said among a room full of pastors, heads nod.  We get this.  It has been said that Easter is a pastor’s Super Bowl.  I don’t know if that makes sense to you at all, but trust me, the post Easter blues is a thing among pastors anyway.  You add to that losing a loved one this past weekend, being in week 5 of the quarantine, and waking up to a rainy Monday, didn’t help matters.  
 
A pastor was asked how things are going and he answered, “Not bad under the circumstances.”  To which his fellow pastor replied, “What are you doing under the circumstances?”  Church, I want to live above the circumstances.  I am not suggesting living in denial or to be out of touch with reality.  But the highlight of our faith is the celebration of our risen Christ on Easter Sunday.  We have the power of the Risen Christ living in us!  Easter Sunday isn’t a day it is a lifestyle.  
 
In preparation for this Sunday’s sermon, I was reading about the prophet Elijah in I Kings 18.  In that scene in I Kings 18, that we will touch on this Sunday, Elijah was on the mountaintop- both literally and metaphorically.  He prayed down fire from heaven, showed up some false prophets and their false gods, outran a chariot, called out to God for some rain and rain fell.  You talk about a spiritual high.  Elijah put all he had into his Easter Sunday.  I doubt my spiritual and physical workload come close to matching Elijah’s. 
 
Do you know what happened next for Elijah?  We won’t be looking at it this Sunday, but in the very next chapter, Elijah hits an all-time low.  You talk about post-Easter blues?  We find Elijah at a most awkward moment where he is very, very human.  I Kings 19 is very instructive for us.  
 
First God takes care of Elijah physically.  God comes to Him through an angel and doesn’t say, “Elijah, shape up.”  He gives him a good night’s sleep and a good meal.  Make sure you take care of your physical needs.  
 
Secondly, learn to vent your frustrations upward.  God seems to allow Elijah to blow off some steam and share his frustrations with Him.  He draws Elijah out with a question as to what is going on.  Going to the God who can actually do something about our situation makes the most sense.
 
Thirdly, find God in not only the spectacular but also in the ordinary, gentle whispers. We love the resurrection!  We love the spectacular.  Don’t miss seeing Him because He is coming to you in a way that is different than you expect.  Don’t put God into a box.  He wants to show up in your life.  In your discouragement.  In your fears.  In your despondency.  In your pessimism.  Can you see His presence?  Can you hear His still small voice in the ordinary, in the unspectacular, in the mundane?  God still speaks in a still small voice through His word to you.  Are you listening for his still small voice?  How is He speaking to your soul at this time?   
 
Blessings to you, Pastor Brian