Slapped!

Ever feel like God is trying to give you a wake up call? Like a slap in the face he beckons for your attention. Sometimes he has to slap and slap and slap again before we actually realize that he is trying to get through to us.

Well, I have been given a wake up call. One that I know I cannot take lightly. One that I know if I don't respoond in obedience, my future is bleak.

Tuesday, November 16 ( FW Friends, Our midweek children's ministry that I lead)
I was teaching the kids about "Elijah and the prophets of Baal" found in 1 Kings 18. We talked about obedience to the only true and living God, we talked about the danger in having false idols in our lives. I told them that false idols weren't just statues we bow to, but things that become more important to us than God. Things that we spend more time thinking about and doing than God.

Sunday, November 21 (Promiseland, our Sunday morning Children's Worship)
Believe it or not, the Bible lesson was on, "Elijah and the prophets of Baal" found in 1Kings 18. We talked about how easy it is to allow other things to become more important to us than God, thus creating idols. Things that we spend more time thinking about and doing have become false gods. We also discussed the fact that in times of trouble and questioning and sadness, none of the things we have invested in can respond to our needs or even listen to them.

Sunday, November 21 (Connexity, our alternative worship gathering)
Steve talked about faith and doubt and the value of having faith in God even though we don't know how he works. Trust. He gave a few Old Testament examples and a few New testament examples. One was, you guessed it, "Elijah and the prophets of Baal". Elijah knew who his God was and had complete faith in him.

I do not believe the reoccurance of this story is a coincidence. I feel like I have been slapped in the face (a few times). I have been spending some more time studying that passage of scripture.

I know that I have created barriors between me and God. I know that there are things which are quickly becoming idols. That is not knew. It is not even that God is showing me what they are, I know that too. What God is trying to say is that it is time to get rid of them. That is the hard part but for the first time ever, I am committed to make it happen. I'm not sure I even know where to begin.

What about you? Anything standing between you and God? Is God trying to knock down some walls in your life? What are you going to do about it?