Encountering an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue # 267 September 21, 2001
Imperfect Heroes

One of the things about the Bible that makes it ring true for me is its honesty. The Bible shows people as they are, good, bad or indifferent.

Other than Jesus Himself, there aren’t any perfect people in the Bible. Even people who were used by God to do mighty things had their off moments. The heroes were imperfect.

A case in point is Elijah the prophet. After demonstrating tremendous miracles wrought by God, he becomes afraid of Queen Jezebel and flees for his life, feeling sorry for himself.

He’s seen God work miracles first hand. He knows God will use him, yet he still freaks out and runs away.

Forty days later we find him hiding in a cave on Mount Horeb.

There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:9-13 NIV

Having seen the power of God at work again, how does Elijah respond?

He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 1 Kings 19:14 NIV

Elijah blows it. He’s still terrified and feeling sorry for himself, yet God doesn’t abandon him and continues to work in his life.

In the Bible we see people at their best and their worst, even those who are believers. God shows that He will take us where we are at, we don’t need to be perfect. Once we’ve accepted Him, we don’t become perfect either.

For me there is great hope in that. I’m a long way from perfect and if I had to depend on my own perfection for salvation, I’d never have a hope.

He’s perfect and He extends His grace to us in our imperfection. That is enough.

Until next time, may you recognize that He doesn’t require perfection from you, just a heart that loves Him.

God bless.

Kevin