Do you ever feel like your life is happening to you? Do you feel like you are hovering above yourself looking down at yourself doing your life? This is a psycholdigoical response to distress called dissociation. It is the disconnection or separation of soothing from something else. It can become something very serious but in its benign manifestations it is literally the state of feeling disconnected or fractured as a person. When I begin to feel this way, I look at it as a warning sign that I am feeling overwhelmed, stressed or preoccupied. I think all the rumbling about the Covid variant is pushing on our collective PTSD. If not yours, it is pushing on my memory of lock downs and protocols. As Fall approaches, school goes back into session and the typical flu season begins many state and county Covid numbers are increasing. I have asked myself the question - how do I stay in my body and stay in the drivers seat of my own life.

The scriptures below have helped me to find some grounding. Today, I share them with you!

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  What Are you Doing Here?

*I think (Perry suggested it) that Elijah might have run in the wrong direction.

And the word of the Lord came 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, “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?”

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What Are You Doing Here?

*Is your life happening to you?

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.”

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Denial and a Good Defense.

How do you respond when someone challenges you?  Suggests something different?

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.”

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You are NOT Alone.

Do you feel alone?  How are you coming out of the sadness and stillness?

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.  Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

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 Elisha Followed Elijah’s Calling?

*He was ready for God’s messenger to call him - When Elijah threw his cloak on Elisha, he followed him.

*He burned his way of making a living - Along with kissing his mother and father goodbye, he burned up his plow and cooked his oxen.

*He told his community - He hosted a party for his family and community to say goodbye.

*He went on a mission that ended up being more spectacular than his mentor - He not only watched an incredible prophet of God work, he asked God to give him the opportunity for more and the result - Elisha performed double the miracles that Elijah did.