To the Believer Who Feels Alone

To the Believer Who Feels Alone

by | Mar 31, 2022 | Life Advice

The Bible tells you to expect hardships. Christians who know their Bible and examine our culture know that following Jesus is not meant to be easy, and the world certainly affirms that truth. There is little expectation for this life to be free of trouble, uncomplicated, or painless- but what we did not expect was to walk through all of that alone.

We, as a people, feel desperately alone. Especially those of us who live in places where people who follow Jesus are few to be found. Last week, I was taking a walk in the park right in the middle of a city, walking through swarms of people. People from all walks of life, from all kinds of ethnic backgrounds- and I was overwhelmed by it all. That was the second time I had that feeling.

The first time was last summer, when I was living in a different city in which the inhabitants were 80% unreached with the Gospel. I stood at a high point, looking over the city, and asked the same question that I asked last week: “Lord, is it only me here that knows you?” And, I know I’m not the only one who’s asked this. It’s the same for you who looks over your college campus, or your high school halls, or your family, or your city. The core of the question really is this: “Lord, have you forgotten us?”

Elijah asked the same question. It was a time of pagan worship under the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, and he felt like the only one left. He says this in 1 Kings 19:10, “I have been very jealous for the Lord of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Elijah tells the Lord that he is jealous for the glory of God among these people who don’t know Him. They have broken their covenant of faithfulness, they have worshipped idols, they have killed the other prophets, and now they want to kill Elijah. His despair is clear in his plea. He sees no hope, he’s alone, and he doesn’t know what God is doing. Does He not care that His people have forgotten Him?

To answer Elijah, the Lord asks him to go outside to the side of the mountain. The Lord Himself was going to meet Elijah.

A great wind tore through the mountain, so strong that it broke rocks into pieces, then an earthquake shook him where he stood, then fire swept through in front of him- but after all three of these massive demonstrations of power, the Bible says that “the Lord was not in the wind… the Lord was not in the earthquake…the Lord was not in the fire.” But don’t these show the power of God? He answered Elijah’s questions with rock-breaking wind, mountain shaking earthquake, and consuming fire-why didn’t God show up in those?

The Bible says that after these came the sound of a “low whisper.” And when Elijah heard it, he hid his face and walked out to meet God. The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire- He was in the whisper. Why answer this way? Here, God was demonstrating to Elijah a truth about Himself.

Elijah was wondering why God didn’t use the same rock-breaking power to show Himself mighty to all of these people who rejected Him. After all, if everyone knew that Elijah believed in the true God, then he wouldn’t be alone. And Elijah knew the power of God- it had been demonstrated in the chapter before. But God didn’t show up that way. Not in magnificent demonstrations of power, but in a low whisper.

Isn’t that true of our Savior? He came, not as a king with a sword, but as a servant who washed feet. He had great power, yes, but Jesus was not interested in showing off His power to those who didn’t believe Him. Peter wanted Him to- when they came to get Him, to take Him to the cross, Peter grabbed a sword and started fighting. But Jesus emptied Himself, and became obedient to death on a cross. The disciples felt alone. Elijah felt alone. You and I, we feel alone. Why doesn’t God just send an earthquake to show all of our friends that we aren’t crazy to believe Him? Why didn’t God show Himself in the fire?

It’s because He has never been a God who seeks to win hearts this way. He’s much more powerful than that, friends. We understand power through great demonstrations because our view is so limited by our finiteness. The Lord has the earth as His footstool. He is sovereign over much more than the natural world- He is sovereign over every human heart.

God answers Elijah’s disbelief with this: “ Yet I have kept for myself seven thousand people in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” He is able to raise up believers from the remnant of a people who want nothing to do with Him. That’s what it looks like to wield power and grace in the same hand. He is gentle, and patient, and able to see beyond your current loneliness to accomplish His greater, sweeter purposes. He is sovereign over the human heart, too.

Do you feel like you’re the only one? Do you feel like He has forgotten you? When Elijah felt that way, God reminded him that the Lord has much more in store for His people than we could ever imagine. He wanted to show Elijah that His ways were higher than Elijah’s ways. His thoughts are higher than ours, too. He is able to turn the hearts of men towards Him whenever He would like, and when we would despair, His is a gentle reminder that He is much bigger than we imagine, and His hand is not shortened to save. Maybe it’s time that our prayers were different- not that we forsake asking Him to move in a mighty way, because we should pray boldly, but also pray that He would change our eyes to see Him in the whisper instead of waiting on the earthquake. And who knows? Maybe He is raising a new 7000 from our midst, too.

Hi! My name is Samantha Arp and I am a sophomore in college. I am studying writing and theology and serve in the women’s and college ministry at my college. I have a passion for the Word of God and teaching our generation how to find joy in it! I love LO sis and I’m honored to share this today 🙂

Invited to the Table

Invited to the Table

by | Aug 24, 2021 | Life Advice, Wisdom

Note from Team LO: We are SO excited to bring you this month’s post from our LO sister member, Samantha Arp! If you want to be a part of this incredible community, you can join today and get your first week FREE! Find out more about this online sisterhood HERE. And for more info about what LO sister is all about, visit our Instagram Page!

Now, enjoy today’s post from Sam 🙂 

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“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”

Why would anyone choose to eat dinner while surrounded by their enemies?

An invitation to..

In Exodus 12, the Israelites are preparing to endure the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn. This plague meant that the Destroyer would pass through Egypt and kill all of the firstborn of the household. God provided a way for His people to avoid this by instituting the Passover. The Hebrew families would kill a one year old lamb, without blemish, and put the blood on the doorposts of the house as a sign that they belonged to God and the Destroyer would pass over that house, and spare it. They were instructed to eat this meal “in haste”, with their sandals and belt on, with staff in hand, to signify that their release from slavery could come at any moment. This was an institution to be held for generations to come to remember that they were spared and released from slavery into freedom.

This meal was a celebration of the faithfulness of God in salvation from slavery, right? But did they not eat this meal before this promise was fulfilled? They ate the first Passover at night, amidst the death of their enemies, wondering if they were next; they ate in haste, but these families hadn’t seen freedom in generations. They were celebrating salvation before they had seen it.

This is seen again in the New Testament. Jesus and His disciples are being faithful to Jewish law, preparing to eat the Passover at the proper time in the upper room. If they are eating it properly (which they most likely are, as the manifestation of the Passover eats among them) then they are eating in haste, with sandals and belt on and staff in hand. Then something new happens. John recounts that Jesus then stands, removes His robe, and wraps a towel around His waist and fills a basin with water. He then kneels at their feet and begins to wash them. They were supposed to have their sandals strapped on, ready to move into freedom, remembering the Exodus. Yet Jesus removes their sandals. No one can run to freedom barefoot. But they are not the ones achieving freedom. He is. As they remember their ancestors trusting God with their life and salvation, God Himself kneels at their feet, preparing to achieve freedom on their behalf. And who else sits at the table with Him? Judas does. The man who will turn the Messiah over to death. Surrounded by enemies, none but Jesus knowing what evil lies on the other side of this Passover turned to Lord’s supper, they eat in celebration of freedom. Again, evil had not been conquered. The work was not finished, salvation not yet accomplished, Judas still very much present, and yet, Jesus instituted a new meal of celebration. “Do this in remembrance of Me”, He says. A call to celebrate the salvation to come.

The next meal we see in the Bible is in Revelation 19, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. In this meal, the Bride of Christ (the Church) is reunited with Christ in all of His fullness that was hidden from us until then. It is a long-awaited union of Christ and His Church, full of worship and the perfect communion our souls are meant for. This meal happens right before the rider on the white horse “called Faithful and True” destroys Death and Evil, throwing them into the Lake of Fire forever. After the promise that Jesus will be King, that He will have final victory, but before the victory is actually accomplished. They celebrate the victory that is not yet won.

There is a noticeable pattern here. All of these meals instituted by God happen right in the middle of the mess. They happen right in the middle of the death, darkness, war, pain, confusion, hopelessness, and hurt. And yet, God is still commanding His people to celebrate victory before they have seen it.

We can feast in celebration, and should, before the promise is answered. We should worship and rejoice before He has won the victory before our eyes. Celebrating this way is a radical act of faith, and an expression of confidence in our Savior. The Israelites ate, celebrating Canaan before they even left Egypt. The disciples ate the Lord’s Supper before their Savior breathed His last. We eat the Marriage Supper of the Lamb before our Victor destroys our enemies. We do this because there is no fear in the battle when the Lord over it dines with you. It is an impossible task to ask us to feast if the outcome of the battle is not certain. But, it is an act of worship to celebrate a victory before you have seen it.

When our Father shows up, there is no struggle for victory. Egypt was overcome by walls of the sea after they feasted. Death committed suicide on the cross, and went into the tomb when Jesus walked out of it. Satan and Evil beg for mercy when Jesus rides up on a white horse. There is no uncertainty when He walks in the room. Therefore, there is no greater expression of faith than to celebrate the Victory of Jesus at His table before the battle is won.

When He prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies, when it makes no sense to rest or celebrate, before the battle is won; watch Him prepare a feast, pull out your chair, and invite you to rest. Worship, celebrate, count the battle as won, because of Who sits at the table with you.

Hi! My name is Sam and I am a sophomore in college at Charleston Southern! I just love Jesus and love talking about Him, what a sweet gift to even know Him!

Identity of a Daughter

Identity of a Daughter

by | May 27, 2021 | Life Advice

Note from Team LO: We are SO excited to bring you this month’s post from our LO sister member, Samantha Arp! If you want to be a part of this incredible community, you can join today and your your first week FREE! Find out more about this online sisterhood HERE. And for more info about what LO sister is all about, visit our Instagram Page!

Now, enjoy today’s post from Samantha 🙂 

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“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 

 (1 Peter 3:3-6)

I think we need to talk about it.

These verses are not popular, especially today in a world where people are jumping on every opportunity to refute the Bible. In situations where Scripture does not easily align with what we see around us (which, by the way, is how it should be) Christians are accused of being outdated, close minded, or prejudiced. Yes, the Bible was written a long time ago to a radically different cultural atmosphere; but the true Author knew exactly who His audience would be. Passages like this are no accident.

If we love God and want to honor Him, then this is how He says to do it. Let’s not run from it or ignore it, but press into the controversy and wrestle with it as an opportunity to better understand the character of God.

Let’s understand a few things first, which are universally true when tackling hard truths in Scripture. One, the character of God is consistent. He does not change His mind like we do. His love and His mercy and His holiness hold as true today as they did two thousand years ago, and He will continue when everything else fades away. God did not decide on this day that He was going to change His nature. Two, God is very clearly an advocate and defender of women. One needs to look no further than the life of Jesus to understand that He was the loudest champion of women in a time period when they were regarded as little more than property. Never in Jesus’ life did He belittle, devalue, or silence a woman; rather, He stood in their defense, pleaded their cause, and stood in the gap between them and men who overlooked their worth. And, as stated before, that reality did not change for these verses.

If this is true, then why is Jesus (through Peter) concerned with what you wear? This topic can generate a lot of heated conversation with Christians and non-Christians which is a very good thing. Let’s take a look.

In the beginning, when men and women were cursed by sin (as in, they chose sin over God on purpose) the way that sin affected them was different. For men, sin cursed their labor; everything that they would accomplish or receive in life would be received through work, and it would be a struggle. Therefore, men have to be careful that their worth does not come from what they accomplish, because that is how sin fell on men. Women were different, however. This is not to say that women don’t feel the weight of performance too (because that is a huge temptation for many, including me) but simply that sin would affect them in another area. For women, sin would pervert relationships. According to Genesis 3, God warns us that women are tempted to see their value in how others choose to see them and that this would be a constant balance. And as much as it is always a danger to generalize a large group of people, it is very clear in today’s world that women still deal with this.

So, in light of that, what point is Jesus making in this passage?

As a woman, we crave being valued. But sometimes we settle instead for being noticed. If we cannot get their value by who we are, we can usually get their attention by how we look.

Is this a command meant to restrict us? Absolutely not. I see nowhere in Scripture that Christ is concerned with exactly how much of your skin is showing or how expensive your clothes are. Rather, this is a lesson on identity.

You will be tempted to believe that the only way anyone will value you is to make sure people think you are beautiful. You will be told lies that your height, weight, hair texture, shape of your eyes or language you speak determines your worth. You will be told that your past, your sexual experience or lack thereof, the money you spend on clothing, or the amount of people who like you have a say on your value. Those are simply lies.

You are so much more than a body to be noticed. You are a soul to be valued. Some look to the body because that is their only hope, as it is when you do not know Him- but you are so much more than that. The truth is, you have eternity embedded in you. If you are in Christ, long after all of those things fade, the truly beautiful part of you will be rejoicing, healed and whole and completely free in the presence of true beauty, who is Christ.

Daughter of God, to look at only your outward beauty would be missing the best part. Stop letting yourself be treated like the part of you that fades. Be more than a body. Be more than a face. Be His instead.

“Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed” Psalm 34:5