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?  

My Last Bread?

1 Kings 17:11

As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."

Friday nights are family nights for us. I usually cook a more special dinner, meaning no easy fried or instant thing-ies, haha :> Next stop is what we call ‘Jesus time’. Tris will draw the kids’ ‘thank You Jesus’ items on the whiteboard, we'll read from the kid’s bible and have some bite-sized application, then we’ll close with our prayer requests. Kids know that next is a surprise from their dad before our movietime. Ice cream is the crowd-pleaser here. They’d yell competing for that first spoon. When the who’s-turn has been decided, their noise shifts to having a bigger scoop. But when the pint’s getting close to empty, they’d loudly hope having that last bite. There’s always a loser to this. What’s funny is that they discovered a way of beating it: ‘Dad, chips?’ And we’re back to square one, haha :>

At the height of Israel’s famine, the word of the Lord came to Elijah and asked him to move from the empty brook to a Gentile town, Zarephath. Sidon is the home country of Ahab’s wife and it’s just so out-of-the box to house Elijah there. We all know she’d soon flare up and pursue to kill him. But God’s ways are higher and wiser. He can choose to prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies and still be protected. Add to that, He can choose an empty table for us and still be provided! What is more amazing is when we move to the widow’s side and hear these words: You have an empty table and I can still provide THROUGH you. Woah! Considering she’s a widow with a son, that’s so faith-stretching. When Elijah first asked her for a drink, we saw her kindheartedness and amidst life’s difficulty, she willingly took that step to help another. Maybe she was really a generous person, but because of scarcity, the most she can offer is her service. Not bad right. But Elijah pushed it, ‘and bread please?’.  I would have cried in  self-pity and Elijah’s seemingly insensitivity here. It was their last meal in this famine. A mother would sacrifice her last for his son but not to a stranger. God knew fears and assured her of His provision. And so she went home and took that step of faith.

For my children, it’s easier to accept not having that last ice cream spoon because they know there’s still chips to look forward to. For this widow, she was willing to give up her final meal because she heard God’s promise to take care of them. They may not have the provisions yet, but faith already saw it coming. The Bible calls us to generosity and sacrifices and it doesn’t have the qualifier that it’s only when we’re full and overflowing. Blessings are from the Lord and not from our hands. When He asks us to give and help, we have to look at His unlimited riches to provide. It is for His glory that thousands are fed from just five loaves and the two fish. The widow’s flour and oil went unlimited too. Let go of your two mites. It may be small. It may be your all. But know that Jesus sees your giving and sure He can open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it :>

Life Is Beautiful

1 Kings 17:9

Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.

Ever experienced a day when there’s zero peso in your pocket and there’s no food on the fridge? As a pastor’s kid, I have countless miracle-stories to share. As a designer’s wife, by God’s grace, it trimmed down to one. Well, so far :> It was a Sunday afternoon and our ‘almost’ last money was spent going to and fro church. ‘Almost’ because I kept the last one so Tris could get to work the following day and receive his salary. We chose to rejoice in God regardless and thought of spending dinnertime walking around. ‘Twas our favorite date idea before the kids ‘happened’, haha :> After an hour, our toes brought us to a nearby mall. Fast forward a bit and you’ll find us lined up to a stall offering sample noodles. Another one was calling for another brand. When we went inside the grocery, we were handed with rice toppings and waiting just before the exit were cups of fresh milk. Now if you know me and my husband, you can imagine how my acting skills, and his lack of it, made it all the more enjoyable. We had a great, loud laugh on our way home. Only God can orchestrate such a great date!

Although I’m not sure if Elijah was a man of humor, but just in case he was, he sure would find this chapter amusing. (Just don’t remind him yet that he angered the king and his life’s probably in danger). Yesterday, we found him near a brook and ravens brought him bread and meat, one set in the morning, and one in the evening. How cool is that? Boyscouts would trade their PSPs for such an adventure. Not even Reality TV could copy-paste that.  When the brook dried up, he may have chuckled hearing his next where-to-get-food. “Through a widow? Seriously Lord?”.  And so he went and God did not disappoint his expectations: the jar of flour were not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry. It may not be as feastly as dining with kings, but royalties would sure exchange half their wealth seeing a miracle firsthand (they might call it magic though).  To Israel, the three and a half years of famine was curse. But to Elijah, those were great days of grace.

Oscar’s 71st Best Foreign Language Film “Life is Beautiful’ have the same plot. Beautiful was a forgotten word to those in concentration camps. But Guido managed to give their predicament some light when he told his son it was all competition for a prize of a real tank. Who’d ever read fun along the word N-a-z-i? Guido’s son never had a hint of danger for all he saw was his father’s great performance. He believed him. We too can find laughter amidst penniless pockets. We too can choose to see miracles instead of famine and threats. We have a Father whose performance ranks one. But unlike Guido, God’s word is true.  When He promised provision, we can be sure it’s coming – whether by ravens or through widows. Breathe some air and enjoy a bit of adventure there. If the fridge’s empty, call it a Family Clean-Up Day. If coins are all that’s left, declare a ‘Street Food Race’.  Sure you can invent better events.  Life is beautiful. Because our God Is :>

Ravens, Then and Now

1 Kings 17:4

You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.

When Grey’s Anatomy turned gray and too relational (instead of medical), we’re just glad to have found House M.D.  Admittedly inspired by Sherlock Holmes, the lead character’s genius wit and funny sarcasm in diagnosing the undiagnosable is just addictive. The last episode we caught was House (Hugh Laurie) finding his six-months-missing-in-action team member Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) coming out of prison. She was fenced in for drugs but her true guilt was for euthanizing her very sick brother.  What is charming in this episode is to surprisingly see the  soft, sympathetic side of House. At the last scene, he assured her of doing the same mercy-killing when Huntington’s hold knocks at her door. But of course it wouldn’t be House without a follow up kick script: “I´d do it now if you want to. I have a baseball bat in the back.” :>

Like House, ravens are better known for its villainous side. They are black and greedy and mean. Moses’ law regarded them unclean and in Proverbs, they are the eye-pickers called to punish rebellious children. They eat the young of other birds and expel their own from their nest. So brute and beastly! And yet in today’s verse, we see them being used by God to twice-a-day feed a major prophet. Picture this: uncaring birds bringing care? omnivorous birds delivering bread and meat? Here’s the highlight: In famine!  So unimaginably impossible! Care to guess why House all of a sudden turned soft in season 7? It was because he found love in Cuddy. Job 38:41says God hears the cry of young ravens and provides for them. Jesus reiterated their value in God’s sight in Luke 12. God loves them and as part of His creation, called them good. They were centerstaged as the first creatures to fly around the newly-washed earth in Noah’s time. And now, He’s performing another miracle through them.  Amazing grace!

Thieving birds. Father of omens. Messengers of death. These names show how ancient people poorly regard ravens. So like how we call some people ‘black sheep’, ‘son of a …’, or ‘dirty tramp’. Our parents call them bad company, teachers expect none from their papers, movies kill them all in the end. And if you’re one of them, you’d soon come to own and believe it was your destiny to fail. But God sees us otherwise. He saw us good when He formed us in our mother’s womb. He watches our going out and lying down. He hears our silent cries and feels our deepest pains. And when all others marked us hopeless, God calls us to serve His purposes, to show men of His grace. Jesus came for us, sinners. His final act on earth was to a thief on a cross. He invited him to eternal life and he received it. Same gift we’re being offered. Take it and soar anew. And when you see other ravens still picking on others’ eyes, don’t label them with names you too once had. Grace is what they need. And soon, His grace they will give:>

Practice Praying

1 Kings 17:1b

As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.

Once or twice a week, I make it a point to check on my sister via phonecall. She’s on her final stretch of medical studies and almost ready-ing for her board exams. Exams - - that’s more like a weekly thing for her. One time she complained having studied a couple of books for days (and through sleepless nights) only to find ten items on the test sheet. So like Michael Phelps’ 6 hours a day 6 days a week training to bag the 50.58 record. So much effort for only a minute event. So many sacrifices for just one shot.  But those that transpired behind the stage are just as important as the main act. One never reaches the top without a climb.

Without much introduction but his place of origin, Elijah came out in chapter 17 doing big time. His first assignment? An appointment with no less than the king of Israel. At least with Moses confronting Pharaoh, we know he was once a prince of Egypt, equals the access and the orientation. But with Elijah, we’re clueless of his credentials. Next we read of his bold prophecy: no dew nor rain except at his word. No, he wasn’t a numerologist like that man who predicted  the May 21, 2011 end of the world. No maths, not science, nor anything mythical. His confidence is solely on His God who lives (unlike their lifeless idols) and who controls all things, rain included (to falsify their rain-god Baal). We may think his days after this newsflash was an idle stay at the ravine, conveniently waiting for ravens to feed him. ‘It’s now all in your hands Lord’ could be his script. But James mentioned otherwise. He wrote that Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced the crops. Would you agree with me that he prayed EVERYDAY for three and a half years? And that he continued praying UNTIL the earth produced crops?  I believe that’s the clue to his credentials. He was first a prayerful man before this big assignment. For he wouldn’t have persisted in praying that long if he never experienced God answering His prayers before. It was a tried and tested confidence.

James reiterated our responsibility to back up our work and ministry with fervent prayers. I mean, we could easily cast everything on God and passively wait for His sure grand results, right? But could my sister just hold on to the truth of God’s wisdom and not study? Or should Phelps just thank God for his good built and innate skills and not bother hard training? Both know success does not happen without the words hardwork, perseverance, sacrifice. The beauty of God’s kingdom is not in His power to make things happen in a flash. Surely He can do that. But what did Bruce Almighty accomplish in clicking YES to all prayers uttered? Did it even make the people in Buffalo an inch better? Not even a single ‘thank You God’ was said right? Because their prayers are void of a relationship. It was not at all intended to glorify God. When He calls us to prayer, He intends a change from within. So that regardless of His answer, regardless of the time element - - we’ll still see His hand perfectly at work. More than His answers, He wants us to see Him. It takes practice. Exercise it. Just Do It :>

Call Slips

1 Kings 16:34

In Ahab's time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken by Joshua son of Nun.

I served as a dormitory monitor in my last two years in Febias. My main responsibility was to check the Sharon Hall ladies’ compliance to the set rules. Schedules were posted and instructions were printed (and explained) so that tasks will be done promptly and thoroughly. Forgetting, ignoring, or failing to perform had its equivalent ‘hours work’. And we do issue two warning ‘call slips’ as grace period. That’s two personal appearances to the Resident Surpervisor, with counseling if needed.  What is sad is that a lot still end up doing the work load. Some even opt to pile it up ‘til the end of the semester and so you’d see them spending their two week break, even their summer months, finishing their time. I wonder: would a couple more warnings prevent the scenario? How about adding ‘hard’ to those ‘hours’ work? If neither before nor after is the key, ain’t what is left in between is the heart issue?

Five hundred years ago before the time of Ahab, Joshua son of Nun proclaimed the LORD's warning to anyone who would defy the LORD's will by rebuilding the fortress of Jericho: ‘at the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest will he set up its gates’. The collapse of the city walls was a testimony of God’s power over the Canaanites’ lifeless gods and all man-made structures. All Israel knew that, and all who walked along those ruins knew the story. Now here come a man from Bethel name Hiel who dared and defied God’s instructions. Some may argue he was ignorant of the curse. But with the death of his firstborn when he laid Jericho’s foundations, he sure may have heard people refer back to the curse. That was his first warning.  But he continued ‘til the gates were set up and ‘til his youngest son Sugub suffered the same fate. Some scholars commented it was actually from his firstborn to the last one. That would mean more than two warnings for him.  Sadly, he persisted in his defiance.

‘God is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’.  He sends call slips to keep our feet from that final slip.  Uriah’s twice refusal to go down to his house was His warning to David’s; Peter had two more chances from his first denial; how long did Noah built that ark? shall I include Pharaoh’s plagues too? Counting all the prophets and seers, pastors and godly leaders, parents and friends around us, how many more do we need to confirm that God will accomplish His word to the last stroke of the pen? How long will we cuddle that sin?  Next brick might already be at the expense of our loved one. Another one and we could lose them all. God is serious in keeping His holy and righteous rule. Mind those call slips now. Seriously.   

From Bad to Worse

1 Kings 16:30

Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.

With ‘The Hobbit’ coming on screen next year, the LOTR fan-in-me made some necessary preparations. First step was to watch the trilogy again. It was amusing to have my kids sit with me considering I was still single when the first installment came out. Second step was to read the book. I wonder if Tolkien’s imagination brought him to envision his writings available in iTunes :>  Third step was to sign in for updates. Latest I got was that Frodo Baggins will be appearing again. A few more clicks and I was already on this actor’s movie database. It’s nice to see him soar before my very eyes from being ‘The Good Son’ to having ‘Happy Feet’ and there and back again in ‘The Hobbit’.  Now I’m all the more excited and so-looking forward for this no-doubt-better, two-part prequel :>  

King Asa probably had the same nostalgic time, but the bad kind. His reign began at the last years of Jeroboam. And now, thirty eight years after, he’s hearing another king, the seventh, being proclaimed in the north. Before his very eyes, he saw each one reign as bad as the first one. But this last two was quite different. Theirs have gone from bad to worse. Omri the father chose a hill and built a fortified city there to be the new capital. It was said to be a place with beautiful buildings, fine furniture and ivory inlays. They felt so highly-cultured like the Phoenicians who helped erect Samaria that they considered Jerusalem a peasant town. This pride soared higher when the Ahab the son stepped beyond his father’s mark, surpassing even Jeroboam, with a brag that those sins were trivial compared to his abominations. His marriage to the heathen Jezebel paved the way to Baal temple worship in Israel. This father and son tandem may have thought they made a significant mark, but in God’s eyes, theirs was all missing the mark. Nations around Israel may have high esteems for their growing wealth and influences, but in God’s eyes, they’re sinking down and deep.

The way of sinners is always downhill. Without regard for God, a man’s life can never grow better. We may see the wicked prospering, but it doesn’t mean their life is better. Do not be deceived that being unequally yoked with good looking and gentle-mannered unbelievers will lead you to a perfect life. Mind you, bad may appear good. Eve’s fruit looked yummy, and why do you think whores can seduce men? Anything and everything that does not give glory to God is not for God, thus, the real BAD. Next to bad is always worse. The only way to becoming better is to shift to God’s goodness, and to move towards it. Without God, the next generation of our family, our country, our world, will grow worse in their sins. Let us cut the rope now and lead them to knowing Christ. He is the only way to life. Someone once told me, the most nationalistic thing you can do for your country is to share the love and forgiveness that Jesus offers. We may not feel the urgency because like Samaria, we may not look wanting economically and politically. But in God’s eyes our nation is sinking deep.  His judgment is sure to come on the sinner’s side. Make that transfer to the Savior’s ship now. Call in your loved ones too. The worst is yet to come.