Growing up in a pentecostal tradition I’ve heard a lot of pre-message sermons on faith. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the pre-message sermon, that’s the sermon you get before the regular sermon. It can be anywhere in the service, but pentecostal pastors like to give their congregants their money’s worth — so we normally get 2 sermons. (Sorry for that rabbit trail…see I make a good pentecostal preacher).
So, as I was saying, I’ve heard a lot about faith — mostly in the context of moving or doing something. We even have a phrase for it: stepping out in faith. It’s a very biblical concept. After all, Peter stepped out of the boat and walk on water (Matthew 14) — albeit for a brief moment, but nonetheless he stepped out of the boat.
“It’s not fair. I have faithfully served the Lord, why is this happening to me?” This is something I have said many times. I bet you’ve said it too. It’s doesn’t take too long in life to begin to feel the disappointment of things not going your way. The disappointment can so easily turn into depression, anger, and frustration.
This is where Elijah found himself in 1 Kings 19. Elijah has a great victory, but when his life is threatened, he flees. Eventually he finds himself in a cave of depression. In the coldness of the cave the “woe is me’s” begin to set in.
The American Dream — we all want it. We strive for it. Work hard to get it. I suppose it’s a little different for everyone, but I think there are some basics that most of us want. Wonderful spouse. Great kids – at least one boy and girl. Great job. Big home, with a picturesque lawn on a quiet street. I think I just described Leave It To Beaver.
Is that was success is? Is that how we would define it? How do we even know if we’ve been successful? What is our measuring stick? And, is our measuring stick the same one God uses?
