“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.” 1 Kings 19:1-9

“My husband bought an exercise machine to help him shed a few pounds. He set it up in the basement but didn’t use it much, so he moved it to the bedroom. It gathered dust there, too, so he put it in the living room. Weeks later I asked how it was going. “I was right,” he said. “I do get more exercise now. Every time I close the drapes, I have to walk around the machine.”

“Never question the truth of what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders.” (Buechner, Frederick. Listening to Your Life. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.)

Elijah was despondent. He feared for his life. He had determined that life was not worth continuing, and so he prepared for the end. But, G-d had another idea – and he was about to send Elijah upon an incredible journey. As such, did Elijah feel thankful for the provisions he received before he took “a long journey”? We are not told, but it was enough to strengthen him so he could make it to the Mountain of G-d. At Mt. Horeb he faces not only G-d but the awesomeness of G-d. And G-d gives him his instructions – he basically tells him to “go and do what needs to be done”.

The bread and wine in communion we receive each Sunday may seem like a meager meal, but it is enough to give us the spiritual strength for G-d’s work. In this bread and wine we see the awesomeness of G-d – and having received the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, we too are told to “go do what needs to be done”.

I say each Sunday, “Come to the banquet table where Christ gives himself as food and drink”. It is spiritual food and spiritual drink — to sustain us to do G-d’s work. And we give thanks to G-d every time we partake of this meal.

Pastor Dave

“He (Jesus) looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4  

“A little child in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed the offering plates. When they neared the pew where he sat, the youngster piped up so that everyone could hear: “Don’t pay for me Daddy, I’m under five.” 

“When friends speak overmuch of times gone by, often it’s because they sense their present time is turning them from friends to strangers. Long before the moment came to say goodbye, I think, we said goodbye in other words and ways and silences.” (Buechner, Frederick. Listening to Your Life. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.)

Buechner speaks of “times gone by” – these times can not only turn friends into strangers, they can often be the curse of the church. Look at the scene Jesus is watching in the Temple. He is watching people go through the motions of putting gifts into the treasury but they are simply going through the motions – they are following long standing traditions that do not challenge them any more. You might say “Well a gift is a gift”. And you are right. But the poor widow’s gift is not just 1/10^th of her abundance, it is her entire savings — and Jesus lifts up her gift as something new.

So what am I getting at. Well, it is easy for us, as humans, to begin to lose our connection with our actions, just like old friends can lose their interest in a long-term relationship. Over time we begin to live into and lift up the “old ways” while losing connection with the now. If our giving, the giving of ourselves and our time and our treasure never changes, then, as Buechner suggests, we “speak overmuch of times gone by”.

One of the things you will be doing in 2021, I hope, is taking some time to re-prioritize your schedule — adding time for exercise, adding time for more sleep, and adding more time to spend with G-d. I hope you can find some ways that you can give more to G-d: more of your time, your prayers, your devotion, and yes, your gifts of talent and treasure.  

Pastor Dave