HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2010 / OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER / THE LIFE AFTER WITH CHRIS LEE

October November December 2010
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 4

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D E P A R T M E N T S

The life AFTER with Chris Lee

 

Living life together

Chris Lee

 

The wind howled in a sustained blast as it tore through crevices in the mountain. With gale force it dislodged mighty boulders causing them to crash down the mountainside, smashing and collecting more rocks as they went. The combined cacophony of rending stone and storm was deafening in its intensity. When it ceased, the abrupt silence was at first jarring, then ominous. The man tentatively tested returning to the mouth of the cave that had sheltered him. He felt faint vibrations in the soles of his feet. As the tremors built, a mounting rumble accompanied the shaking. With growing violence the bedrock heaved, forcing the man to his knees. The earthquake ceased as suddenly as it had come, and there was again silence. Without warning the world fanned into flame as fire swirled around the mountain licking at the entrance to the cave. The terrified observer pressed himself back into the cavern. When the fury of the fire had burned itself out, all that was left was the sound of a gently blowing wind. The man wrapped his face in his clothing and again cautiously approached the entrance of his shelter. A voice spoke, "What are you doing here Elijah?"

It's a good question. Elijah was just coming off a huge victory on top of Mount Carmel. Working through Elijah, God had demonstrated the futility of idol worship and had defeated 850 false prophets. In a dramatic conclusion God brought a heavy rain storm to the drought-parched land and then empowered Elijah to outrun the king's chariot back to the city. One would think that Elijah would be on an incredible spiritual high rather than hiding in a cave, depressed, despondent, and alone. Then again, maybe it's not so hard to understand.

Remember when you were first on the journey out of Adventism? God was showing you something new every day. You could feel the palpable presence of the Spirit all the time. The Bible was coming alive before your very eyes, and Jesus was manifesting Himself in every aspect of your life. Huge changes were occurring in the way you thought, acted, interacted, and worshipped. It was a time of joy, excitement, and passion. You were on a spiritual high. Then day to day life set in. There were bills to pay, kids to raise, and various frustrations. Some of those frustrations came in the form of friends and family who didn't want to hear about your experience, leaving you feeling alone and isolated. Then came the blues.

Big highs are often followed by big lows, but sometimes God speaks to us in the lows in ways we could never hear otherwise. It was in Elijah's lowest moment that God reminded him that no matter how alone he felt, there were actually many other faithful believers out there. In fact, the very next thing God did was to connect him with Elisha who ministered to Elijah. Over the last few columns I've talked a great deal about the need to be an active part of a healthy, well-balanced church, but it doesn't end there. We also need to develop authentic relationships. Joining a Bible study or other small group is one good way to get to know other Christ-followers.

It's normal to have highs and lows in your Christian experience. When God blesses you with high moments, you can bless those with whom you are in relationship. It is in the lows that others will bless and minister to you. I think that's how God intended the Church to work. It wasn't supposed to be just about coming to a service on Sunday. It was supposed to be about doing life together.

It's time to start living life together. It's time to begin the life after. †

 

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Chris Lee lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife, Carmen, and daughters, Ashlyn and Alyssa. They attend the Lincoln Berean Church. Chris is a self-described "theology junkie" whose mission is to proclaim the unfathomable grace of Christ in a clear, understandable, and Biblical way. He leads a Life Group Bible study for former Adventists at Lincoln Berean. You may contact Chris by email at ambulater@gmail.com.