Coarse Burlap Pajamas

Coarse burlap pajamas don't sound very comfortable, do they? Not to me. Why do I bring that up. As I was getting ready to blog this morning, I looked up the passage I was setting my sights on in a variety of different translations. The phrase "coarse burlap pajamas" came from the Message translation and it definitely put a vivid picture in my head. Here's the passage in NIV:

²⁷ When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.

²⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ²⁹ "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."

1 Kings 21:27-29 (NIV)

Elijah had just delivered a stinging rebuke to King Ahab after Jezebel had Naboth killed so that Ahab could have Naboth's vineyard. How did Ahab respond to Elijah's rebuke? He repented. He ripped his royal garments and put on his coarse burlap pajamas. He fasted and moped around saddened by his sin. God noticed. God made sure that Elijah noticed, too. Ahab is spared of God's wrath for the moment. In the next chapter, he messes up again and ends up getting hit by a "lucky" shot from an enemy archer.

What, I wonder, does repentence look like in my life? I certainly don't go around wearing sackcloth. Can I get a good sackcloth gown at my local Christian book store? Am I truly saddened by my sin? Do people notice when I repent? Did they even notice that I sinned in the first place? God knows. Yes, God knows and that's good enough. When I think about repentence and think about how Ahab fasted while wearing his coarse burlap pajamas, I am reminded of what Jesus said about fasting in the sermon on the mount.

¹⁶"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)

Ahab sinned. He was a pretty evil King and his wife Jezebel didn't help point him in a godly direction. He even called Elijah, who spoke the word of God into his life, his enemy. Yet, when Elijah rebuked Ahab here in 1 Kings 21, Ahab repented. God knew what was in his heart and made sure that Elijah knew it too. God made sure that we knew it too.

Heavenly Father, I thank you that I know that I am a sinner. Help me when I am convicted of my sin to repent and be saddened by my sin. Help me to humble myself in Your eyes. Thank You that Jesus died for my sins. Help to, through Him, to live a life pleasing to You. Amen.

Revealing God

³⁶ At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. ³⁷ Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

1 Kings 18:36-37 (NIV)

²³John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:23,29 (NIV)

If the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel isn't my favorite story in the Bible, it has to be in the top 3. The Israelites have almost completely turned away from God and are following Baal. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a showdown. Just Elijah and Jehovah versus 450 prophets of Baal and Baal. The prophets of Baal go first and build their altar and call on Baal to bring down fire. He doesn't. After a while, Elijah starts taunting them: Maybe he's asleep or taking a leak or on vacation. Seriously Elijah, the prophets of Baal think, you're starting to sound like one of those right-wing blowhards on the TV. Can't we have a more civil discourse? Elijah has them flood his altar and prays his prayer and then calls on God to bring down fire. God does, the altar is incinerated, and Elijah has revealed the true God to the Israelites.

Things really weren't that different in John's day. Israel was under Roman rule. The leaders were more concerned with following the law than with expecting the Messiah. They questioned John because he didn't fit their pattern of who he should be. He lived in the wilderness and wore that smelly camel hair coat. He certainly wasn't part of civil society or of the mainstream. What was his deal? John knew that his purpose was to point to Jesus. When Jesus, showed up to be baptized, John said "Behold the Lamb of God!"

Fast forward to today. The National Day of Prayer has just passed. Franklin Graham was disinvited from the ceremony at the Pentagon because of his anti-Islamic views. Really, he was disinvited because he believes that Jesus is the only way to God. As a professing Christian, I think Graham's got it right. It seems that some in the "mainstream" of our society have labeled him a wacko because he believes in a "one true God." One article I read lamented that Franklin wasn't tolerant like his father Billy. Compared to Elijah, Franklin Graham is pretty civil and polite. Compared to Franklin Graham, am I proclaiming Christ? Compared to John am I pointing to Christ? Compared to Elijah am I boldly seeking to reveal God so that those around me will turn to Him?

Heavenly Father, embolden my heart. Help me to proclaim Your love for this fallen world that lead to send Your Son to die on the cross that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. Help me to proclaim the He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to You except through Him. May You be revealed in my life so that those around me will know that You are God and that their hearts will be turned to You. Amen.

In the eyes of the Lord

Today, I'm not focussing on a single passage. I've been working my way through 1 Kings and I want to think about a single phrase that pops up 8 times in chapters 15 and 16 which I read this morning.

...in the eyes of the Lord...

David did right in the eyes of the Lord. Others did evil in the eyes of the Lord. This pattern continues throughout the book with probably more "did evil" than "did right." So few details are given about many of the kings: whose son they were, when they started reigning, how long they reigned, and whether they did evil or right in the eyes of the Lord. It makes me wonder when my life is summed up like this, will I be said to have done right in the eyes of the Lord or done evil.

Lord, it is my desire that when my life is over, it will be said of me that I did right in Your eyes. I know that I can only do that through You. Help me to be obedient to You and to do what it right in Your eyes. For Your glory. Amen.