How do you stay in the zone? (part three)

How do you stay in the zone?

Been reading a LOT in the Old Testament lately (check it out) and it’s ironic that whether God was visible or quiet, either way his people would fail then fall.  It happened then and it happens now. Why? Why can’t we stay in the zone? Why can’t we, once we realize who God is and who we are and what we need to do to have a relationship with him, stay close to him? Why can’t we always be in the zone?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot for the past few weeks and there’s one guy in the OT that comes to mind. His name’s Elijah. Elijah was John the Baptist long before John-boy ever arrived (a story for another day). Elijah was who everybody wanted to be…NOT. The dude lived in the wilderness, was fed by ravens, wore hair for clothing and when he did socialize it was with the poor. On top of all this, Ahab, king of Israel, along with his wife Jezebel wanted Elijah dead, D-E-A-D!!! But guess what? Elijah was in the zone!

Elijah miraculously provided a widow with flour and oil, raised the same woman’s son from the dead, could run like the wind, had a remarkable ability to call fire down from the sky & get this: When it was time, God took him to heaven in a flaming chariot. This guy was in the zone, the God zone. And yet, as remarkable as this man was, he still fell out of the zone. The Bible tells us in 1 Kings 19 that Elijah became afraid and full of self-pity. Self-pity? Elijah? Yep. God asks him what’s going down and Elijah “reminds” God that he is God’s only servant in all of Israel. He’s it. The only one left. Haven’t you felt that way sometimes? That it’s only you. You’re all alone. Poor, poor you. I know I have. Many, many times. Self pity probably takes me out of the zone more than anything else.

Thankfully, God very gently refreshes Elijah, sets his feet back on the path and tells him what to do next. Oh, and by the way, God let’s Elijah know that there are 7,000 others in Israel that like Elijah, love and follow God. Read 1 Kings 19 and tell me if you can hear God telling Elijah, “zip it, man, you’re not alone.” Can you hear God speaking to you, saying the exact same thing? I can and I’m so very thankful that Elijah fell out of the zone.

Stay tuned for part four, where maybe just maybe, we wrap up How do you stay in the zone?

God bless you!