Next step
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. –Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
When I read this verse, I picture myself on a night hike with a guide who has traveled this way before. There’s a trail, but it’s uphill, a bit rough, and not well-marked. His lantern casts enough of a glow ahead to calm my nerves, and I begin to feel safe. I ask about the landscape beyond the circle of light and my guide responds, “Don’t worry about that now. Just pay attention to the next step and keep up with me. In the morning, you’ll see the view from the mountaintop. It’s gonna knock your socks off!”
I was reminded again this week of all the things in our world that seem to be messed up that I cannot do anything about. It can be overwhelming at times, and I’ll confess to allowing myself a couple of pity parties in recent days. In the middle of that, I thought of a story. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was coming off a great victory; he had done everything he could, but still found himself running for his life. He was tired, he was frustrated, he was despondent. He prayed to die. Then God showed up, but not in the way Elijah expected.
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” -1 Kings 19:11-18 (NIV)
God’s message to Elijah was to trust. “There’s more going on here than you know. I’m still in control. You are not alone. Just do the work that’s in front of you and don’t give up.”
He has a similar message for us. He doesn’t unfold the entire roadmap. He just lights the lantern, holds out a hand, smiles and says, “You comin'?”