Written by Ryan Weston, Area Director in Pitt County, NC.
Many of us leaders have tons to be excited about and to thank God for. We have come off a full year of powerful ministry where we’ve begun relationships with new kids that have in turn begun new relationships with the Lord. Maybe you’ve seen miracles. Maybe you’ve seen transformation. Maybe you’ve even seen God yourself.
A driven leader would immediately jump into solid follow-up with summer Campaigners, doing quiet times together with kids after camp, and maybe even looking for churches or openings in Work Crew spots still available for our kids. All great things. Before you know it, you’ll be at the leader kick-off and Club- planning-party. You’ll be on the sidelines at football camps and promoting fall camp once again
But today, before any of that happens, REST.
In the Old Testament, we read about the prophet Elijah. He had just had a great year with God, too. He watched fire come out of logs soaked with water. He witnessed the visible power of God.
He also saw prayer answered when he prayed for a storm to water a parched land. You’d think if anyone would be refueled and refreshed it was would be him. But just because the land was no longer parched didn’t mean Elijah wasn’t.
In 1 Kings 19, this mighty man of God was overtaken by fear, panic, exhaustion, hunger and thirst.
Is that you?
Are you fearful of what next year may have for you?
Are you panicking about relationships or classes?
Are you tired, but not in the way that a good night’s sleep or even a week-long vacation can heal?
Elijah knows what it’s like. In a place of honest discouragement, he seeks the Lord and the Lord says to him to go out on the mountain and wait for His Presence.
When Elijah obeys and walks out on the mountain a mighty wind comes and knocks down the rocks, but God wasn’t in the wind. Then there was an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake, then a fire, but no God.
Quite often I look to big signs of power as evidence of God.
“Oh God, bring someone to my door with just what I need to hear.”
But God showed up to Elijah that day in the same way He still does with us: in a gentle whisper.
I heard once that the translation for gentle whisper was referencing something that could only be found in audible silence.
What we need is the type of rest that only Jesus can offer. With the time left between now and the re-launch of a new school year, let’s sit in the silence with Jesus. He loves us and has so much to say!
“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” -Exodus 33:14
Where God is, rest follows.
What our middle and high school friends need is healthy followers of Jesus.
Rest well. Rest in Him.
