Proper 7C (1 Kings 19:1-15a)  06/20/2010

Last weekend I was very happy to be part of the group of volunteers that represented St. John’s Church at Celebrate! West Hartford. Although the rain did dampen the turnout of people for a time on Saturday, we had a great experience and met many people – friends both new and old. And we had many fun events: drawings for gift cards; colorful wristbands; face painting; and the ever challenging “guess how many jellybeans are in the jar” contest. As I watched the people come and go from our booth, the jar of jellybeans was among the most fun to watch. Throughout the weekend, I observed many different types of people. There was the “just guess because your first thought is the right answer” person; there was “pick up the jar and shake the jellybeans” person; and there were several mathematicians of all ages, who carefully counted the jellybeans within a selected area of the jar and then carefully applied various equations to achieve their answer. And as interesting as all these approaches were to watch, my favorite jellybean guesser was a young girl, probably about 3 or 4 years old, who was perhaps just an inch or two taller than the table that held the jar of jellybeans. She approached the table with great confidence and stared intently at the looming jar of jellybeans before her. After a few moments of intense examination, I asked her if she knew how many jellybeans were in the jar and if she would like to write her guess down on the entry form. She told me that she did know how many jellybeans were in the jar, but she did not know how to write the number. I told her if she could tell me her guess, I would write the number on the paper for her. She agreed and with both hands shooting into the air she joyfully exclaimed, “my guess is infinity!”

After reading our first lesson this morning and hearing Jezebel promise to track down and finally rid herself of the prophet Elijah, I can guess that if we asked Elijah how much trouble he had, he might say “infinity.” And as Elijah sits alone under the solitary broom tree and prays for an end to his life in order to end his misery, I can guess that if we asked Elijah where he thought God was in the midst of all his troubles, he might say “infinity…and beyond.” This section of the first book of Kings tells the story of how the prophet Elijah served as a messenger for God throughout the great trials against the Israelites who turned away from worshiping God. Elijah has been a loyal servant of God and has remained faithful throughout many difficult circumstances, but the troubles do not seem to end for Elijah and he is now running for his life. Elijah is tired and does not have the energy to sustain any mighty acts against those who threaten and pursue him. “It is enough,” we hear Elijah say to the Lord. I believe many of us can appreciate Elijah’s state of mind. When we face challenges that seem to continue, unabated by time or action, our circumstances can appear as overwhelming as a large jar of jellybeans stretching into the sky before us. Perhaps we turn to God and seek the one mighty action that will end our troubles and restore our general well being. Elijah hopes for an outcome such as this; and tired from all that he has experienced he falls asleep under the broom tree and surrenders himself to God.

And God does act on Elijah’s behalf, not with a mighty action to end all that troubles him but with some food and guidance from an angel of the Lord. “Eat and drink what the Lord has given you to gain your strength,” says the angel to Elijah “and then travel for 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb, the mount of God.” On the heights of Mount Horeb, God promised to be with Elijah and help him in his time of need. Rested, strengthened, and full of new hope Elijah waits on the Lord at Horeb. The end of our lesson this morning is meant to grab our attention: exactly how will the mighty and powerful Lord appear to Elijah? Elijah waits for the Lord; he waits for the Lord to act decisively, because isn’t that the way we want the Lord to act? Isn’t that the way we act when we are faced with challenges; when we are confronted by the troubles of life – we like bold and certain action. Perhaps the Lord will come rushing toward Elijah, riding in on the force of the “great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.” (1 Kings 19:11) Perhaps the Lord will burst forth, with the earth-splitting power of an earthquake or appear to Elijah with the dazzling and consuming power of a fire, but the Lord was not in the earthquake or the fire. After Elijah had experienced all these powerful forces, God came to Elijah in the presence of the sound of sheer silence. The delicate sound of sheer silence; unlike the wind, the earthquake or the fire, we have the power to ignore or overwhelm the silence that is the presence of the Lord. As Elijah waits for the might and power of God to be shown on Horeb, God shows Elijah, and us, a different way – a quiet and holy way. If we are to seek God, we must intentionally and thoughtfully preserve the silence and listen. In the quiet and holy silence, God calls us into relationship through prayer, which is the wellspring of power to face the challenges of our daily lives.

The young girl watched closely as I wrote “infinity” on her entry form. She quickly wrote her name on the paper and passed it to her father, who was busy helping his son fill out his jellybean guess. The father examined the paper and asked his daughter if this was her guess. With great enthusiasm she said, “yes, infinity!” Her father, with love and understanding in his voice, replied, “your guess is infinity; so what’s your second guess?” Elijah was tired and his challenges seemed to be infinite. He turned to the Lord, seeking God’s immediate help through mighty and powerful acts. But God was not in the wind, or the earthquake or the fire. God seems to respond to Elijah by saying, “mighty and powerful acts, Elijah? What’s your second guess?” And God provides the answer: the sound of sheer silence; an invitation to be still before the Lord and come into relationship with God through prayer. The invitation to be in relationship with the Lord is ours as well. First given to us in the saving waters of Baptism, where we are washed clean and marked as Christ’s own forever. Today, this invitation is given to Peter and Rowan as they are baptized; and today we renew our commitment to God and to our neighbors as well. Mighty and powerful acts that solve all our challenges are appealing, but God invites us to follow a different way. And what will be your answer?  AMEN.