If you are a Christ follower, wherever you go, you are an ambassador for Christ
Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (1 Kings 17:1)
When you receive PCS orders to move to another nation, you become, in some ways, an ambassador for the United States. If you are a Christ follower, wherever you go, you are an ambassador for Christ. Chapter 17 of the book of 1 Kings introduces us to one of the more colorful personalities in Scripture, Elijah. His name means, “whose God is the Lord,” or “my God is Yahweh.” Elijah comes on the scene abruptly with no clear information about where he was born, his family history, or his education or training. We know he was a powerful man of God who took his marching orders directly from the Lord—and he moved around a lot.
Elijah was anything but a stoic, stuffy theologian. He engaged with the political and religious environment of his day and was bold to declare that he stood on the side of the Lord. As we look closely at some of Elijah’s moves, we will see various responses that reveal his attitude toward each move. Just as PCS moves can bring out the best and worst in us, Elijah displayed a spectrum of emotions and actions as he moved from place to place.
The admirable trait that Elijah consistently displayed was his commitment to live his life in service to the Lord. Whether he was calling down fire from heaven, or in desperate need of food and water to survive, he did not waver in his commitment to live out the meaning of his name—my God is Yahweh.
Christ-followers in the military have the opportunity to live like Elijah. Carrying the name of the Lord to places across our nation and around the world is a privilege that many will never have. This does not mean that Christ followers need to call down fire from heaven. However, we can let the fire of the Lord burn within our hearts to the extent that we draw others to the warmth of Christ’s love heard in our words and seen in our lives.
Respond
In what ways have you carried the name of the Lord as you move from place to place? How “hot” is your fire for the Lord burning today?
Prayer for the Journey
Lord, I pray you would use me as a witness for you. Make my love for you burn so bright that my actions and words draw people to you. I want to be a strong representative for you wherever my feet lead me today. Amen.
