OK, so I wrote this little devotion for the upcoming TEAMeffort staff devotion book. My first time doing a devotion...well, that's a lie. This devotion is actually a rehashing/updated/abridged version of a devotion I gave with a group from church, but that is mentioned below. It's one of those messages that God put on my heart, and I hope it speaks to you, or whoever else may read it. Feel free to borrow it, if you want; just don't forget to cite your source! lol




Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-9
"...⁷The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched [Elijah] and aid, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." ⁸So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God…"

In July of 2009, I experienced my first mission trip. Not sure what to expect, I was shocked when God had me cutting massive lengths of rebar & wire, mixing & pouring concrete, and signing in tongues (ok, so it was sign language, but it was new for me)! I'll admit, I'm usually lazy, but the hard labor was surprisingly enriching. We worked hard that week, both in the construction and in spending time with our deaf friends. For the first time in ages I could go to bed at night satisfied with myself, and know I would rest well.

Jesus touched me that week, and renewed our relationship to new heights. If you've been on a mission trip, I bet you have a similar story to tell. That's the gospel of what we do. Unfortunately, there is also a disappointing follow-up we're all susceptible to. All the other parts of our lives that draw us away from our God, they don't just disappear. I came home, and life‒or death‒went on. I had never felt so close to God, only to again fall so far from my Father. I fell into a darkness and despair all too familiar, and self-pity began to take its toll on me.

Finally, I heard God calling out to me. I was asked to give a devotional during a church mission trip. I don't know why, but I turned to 1Kings, chapter 19. Elijah had just called down fire from Heaven, put an end to the 450 prophets of Baal, & summoned the first rain in years‒huge stuff! But Jezebel vows to have him killed, and guess what! Elijah tucked his tail and ran, begging God to take his life. After God had provided such victory, the man lost faith, ready to give up. But God wasn't about to give up on Elijah, renewing his strength and comforting his spirit. Our God is THE awesome God! We reach such peaks through Him, only to fall once again to our chains of flesh. But in the darkest moments, God waits for us to hear His gentle whisper, eager to lift us up as only He can.

I hope that as we depart for our summer stroll in His mission field, that you walk with Him, talk with Him, draw closer to Him. And after the summer highs, should autumn cause you to fall, and winter chill your spirit, I pray that you will remember that God is always there, always has been, and always will be. Like any good father, He does not want us to fall. But when we do, He is the perfect Father, waiting to restore and renew us.