Thursday, August 18, 2011

VIP Treatment


1 Kings 17:11
He called to the LORD and said, "O LORD my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying, by causing her son to die?"

When I arranged for my parents’ visit in Cebu, one of the main concerns was how to literally transport my dad here. For a handful of years now, he’s been having difficulty standing and walking for long periods of time. He even has a standby high chair in church when he’s preaching.  It was a relief to know that the airline has a wheelchair service at request. And so I made the call. Next issue was to convince my dad to sit there. Good thing my brother’s coming with them. His down syndrome could be my dad’s excuse if his pride creeps in.  When they finally got here, my parents told me how glad they were for that wheelchair. They felt like VIPs skipping all check-in lines and being assisted to their seats. Now I doubt if my dad will ever resist taking that service again :>

Taking in a prophet in her house could be her wisest step of faith ever. This widow of Zarephath was assisting God’s VIP and so was receiving unlimited provisions by just being near him.  Famine was throughout Israel’s land, stretching even in Sidon, and her house could be the only place where fear was not found. I imagine her more accommodating than ever, kinder than ever to Elijah. I’m sure her thought-balloon was for him to stay in her upper room forever :> All of a sudden, his son became ill and grew worse and worse and finally stopped breathing. That was unexpected. With her faith and kindness and Elijah there, shouldn’t she be immuned from any harm? She was understandably disoriented and disappointed. Elijah had no answers for her either. But he did not attempt to give her any just for comfort’s sake.  All he knew was God has His reasons. And only to God he directly asked and pleaded.

We all tried to delight ourselves in the Lord and seek first His kingdom in the hope that He will give the desires of our hearts and the ‘…all these things shall be added unto you’.  We hold on to His word that obedience has His blessings and service has its rewards. And so we pursue it. Then comes the storm and suffering and we wonder why. ‘Was it my past sins Lord?’ ‘Have I done something to harm Your people?’. Exactly the words of the widow. And sometimes we won’t have logical answers. God’s operating process is unlike any human equations. Even His prophets were not exempt from famines and pains. Most of the time, their paths even leads there. But it doesn’t mean He discredited their faithfulness. It was more because it will bring more glory to Him. Imagine if God only looked upon the widow’s cry or Mary and Martha’s or the disciples’? Isn’t raising people from the dead worth more rejoicing and praising God than plain healing? Let go of that VIP treatment expectation. Isn’t knowing and soon being with the ultimate VIP far outweighs them all?  
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VIP Treatment


1 Kings 17:11
He called to the LORD and said, "O LORD my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying, by causing her son to die?"

When I arranged for my parents’ visit in Cebu, one of the main concerns was how to literally transport my dad here. For a handful of years now, he’s been having difficulty standing and walking for long periods of time. He even has a standby high chair in church when he’s preaching.  It was a relief to know that the airline has a wheelchair service at request. And so I made the call. Next issue was to convince my dad to sit there. Good thing my brother’s coming with them. His down syndrome could be my dad’s excuse if his pride creeps in.  When they finally got here, my parents told me how glad they were for that wheelchair. They felt like VIPs skipping all check-in lines and being assisted to their seats. Now I doubt if my dad will ever resist taking that service again :>

Taking in a prophet in her house could be her wisest step of faith ever. This widow of Zarephath was assisting God’s VIP and so was receiving unlimited provisions by just being near him.  Famine was throughout Israel’s land, stretching even in Sidon, and her house could be the only place where fear was not found. I imagine her more accommodating than ever, kinder than ever to Elijah. I’m sure her thought-balloon was for him to stay in her upper room forever :> All of a sudden, his son became ill and grew worse and worse and finally stopped breathing. That was unexpected. With her faith and kindness and Elijah there, shouldn’t she be immuned from any harm? She was understandably disoriented and disappointed. Elijah had no answers for her either. But he did not attempt to give her any just for comfort’s sake.  All he knew was God has His reasons. And only to God he directly asked and pleaded.

We all tried to delight ourselves in the Lord and seek first His kingdom in the hope that He will give the desires of our hearts and the ‘…all these things shall be added unto you’.  We hold on to His word that obedience has His blessings and service has its rewards. And so we pursue it. Then comes the storm and suffering and we wonder why. ‘Was it my past sins Lord?’ ‘Have I done something to harm Your people?’. Exactly the words of the widow. And sometimes we won’t have logical answers. God’s operating process is unlike any human equations. Even His prophets were not exempt from famines and pains. Most of the time, their paths even leads there. But it doesn’t mean He discredited their faithfulness. It was more because it will bring more glory to Him. Imagine if God only looked upon the widow’s cry or Mary and Martha’s or the disciples’? Isn’t raising people from the dead worth more rejoicing and praising God than plain healing? Let go of that VIP treatment expectation. Isn’t knowing and soon being with the ultimate VIP far outweighs them all?