Easter is over ~ Now What ?

If you are anything like me ~ the Monday after Easter is a little disheartening.

Easter is something like the Christian Super Bowl.

But like the Super Bowl ~ there is no football for months afterward ~ so what next?

God uses mountaintop experiences to PREPARE His people for upcoming work demands.

We often comment that “God never wastes a hurt” ~ but the opposite is also true ~ “God never wastes a victory”.

In “hurt” our faith is challenged and grows ~ in “victory” our faith matures and puts down deep roots.

A fact of life is that “victory” has sidetracked more Followers of Jesus than “defeat”.

Defeat tends to drop Christians to their knees in desperation.

Victory has the opposite effect ~ and 3 things can happen if we are not paying attention.

#1: We enjoy the credit for success

#2: We believe success is to be expected and there will be no more rainy days

#3: We turn a critical eye toward anyone not experiencing our level of success

This also should force us to reexamine our definition of SUCCESS.

Success is obedience to God ~ empowered by God’s Spirit ~ motivated by love for God ~ all credit and praise goes to God ~ and God’s Kingdom is built up.

Something to remember: “God does His best work behind the scenes”

As humans ~ we are thrilled with huge public displays of greatness.

We love the story of Elijah where he verbally taunts the false prophets ~ who fail to call down fire from their “gods” to consume their sacrifice.

But we love it even more when Elijah comments, “God, we need fire” ~ and fire falls from heaven and consumes Elijah’s sacrifice ~ and the alter ~ and the water he poured on it ~ and everything around it.

We love the grand displays that dazzle and leave us breathless.

However, never forget that God does His best work in our hearts.

1 Kings 19:11-13 New King James Version

¹¹ Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

So in this season of social distancing after Easter ~ I challenge you to listen for God’s voice as a whisper in your heart.

Better yet ~ not just listen ~ but prepare yourself to be CONTENT to experience God’s “still small voice”.

3 thoughts:

#1: God will not DEMAND your attention.

A “still small voice” speaks but is easily overlooked in the hustle and bustle of life.

#2: God is our KING ~ and we must have a proper attitude of humility ~ IF we are to hear His “still small voice” ~ we hear best on our KNEES

#3: God desires to transform you into a person of STILLNESS ~ where you can experience and live in His PEACE.

In this post-Easter season ~ allow yourself to experience God’s peace through STILLNESS in His presence.

God bless you ~ I am praying for you

Pastor Shane