Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A Juniper Tree Day

Elijah encountered the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and God soundly defeated them. When Queen Jezebel heard about the death of her prophets, she sent a note to Elijah saying "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." (I Kings 19:2.) Jezebel sent Elijah a message and in his exhausted, depressed state of being, he ran. In the desert he sat down under a juniper tree and requested of the Lord, that he might die. An angel came and "Touched him, and said to him, get up and eat." After he regained his strength, he traveled forty days and came to a cave, and lodged there. In time the Word of the Lord came to him and told him to stand on the mountain. "And the Lord caused to pass by (Elijah) a great wind that rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so." (I Kings 19:11-13.) The Lord was in the "still small voice." What should we do when we have a Juniper tree day? Sometimes we have to take care of our physical needs before we work on the spiritual. "There was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruise of water at his head. He did eat and drink, and laid him down again." (I Kings 19:6). He ate, drank and slept to regain his strength. Then he was ready to deal with the spiritual, he was ready to commune with the Lord. Then the "Still small voice" of the Lord came to him. One lesson I learned as a counselor was if you can't reason with someone you can't counsel with them. I remember one dear lady that had been subjected to all kinds of counsel. Her real problem, she had a psychotic break and needed to be hospitalized and treated for her condition. I was able to direct her to a good medical doctor who took over her physical care. After three days of treatment she was in her right mind. Several days of rest, brought her to the place of being able to reason with the Scriptures. God said in Isaiah 1:18 "Come now let us reason together..." Are you having a Juniper tree day? Eat some food, get some rest and go to the Scriptures and listen to His "Still small voice." He is still Jehovah-rophe, the God who heals. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

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