What are we doing?

What are you doing here?

When the Lord asked me this question, a while back, I sensed a kind of humour in His voice. My answer, I feel, clearly indicated my puzzlement – “We don’t know Lord. We are waiting on you for the answer to that one. You brought us here and we still don’t really know the reason or the ministry you want us to walk in.” I should point out that my dear wife has a deliverance and mentoring ministry among women (with an emphasis on post abortive women). I have a prophetic ministry and a writing ministry through my blog. Since our arrival here, neither of us has felt released to exercise our ministries. However, that is all part of the waiting on God for His leading.

“What are you doing here?”

A wonderfully ambiguous scripture to start today’s thoughts. Read it in 1 Kings 19:11-13 “Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” That one sentence can be read in five different ways, each with different emphasis. Each is a perfectly valid question. I think God asked Elijah meaning any or all five meanings. What if I were to ask you the same question? How would you answer?

Allow me to interpret the question in the way I believe the Lord is asking the church today – “What are you doing here? Do you not see the signs? Have you not seen the video’s on FaceBook that show the completion of prophecy? In Romans 8:22 My Word says, “For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.” There are video’s of this happening. There are reports of these events occurring almost daily. Do you not hear the media news broadcasts about the persecution of My people all over the world. These things have been prophesied for millennia and yet, when they happen, instead of telling the world what is happening what does My Church do? My Church becomes frightened. My Church ignores all the warnings, and ducks into its cosy little shell and buries its head hoping for a quiet life.”

“I never promised you a quiet life. In fact I promised only that times would be troubled and you will be persecuted for your faith in Me. I warned that, unless you pick up your cross and follow Me daily, then I could not help you. This is because by picking up your cross you are acknowledging Me and by denying your cross you are denying Me. I warned that if you acknowledge Me I will acknowledge you before mY Father. However, if you deny Me before men, then I will deny you before My Father. What do you want from Me?”

“The trouble with My Church is that, truly, it is not ready – it has not prepared. Truly, most of My people do not want to know. They just want Me to appear and rapture them – even though many of them don’t even understand what the rapture is and how it will happen. Failing this, My people say they want revival – even though they could not cope with it and are so unprepared for it that it would be laughable if it were not so serious.”

I believe that God is seriously disappointed with His Church right now. I believe that, despite all the prophecies; despite all the warning signs; despite all the miraculous healings and salvations, the Church, the Bride of Christ, is seriously unready for very much other than a continuation of the present status quo.

Yet, in all of this, the Lord reminded me of His great love and mercy to us. He reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Us - Humble ourselves and turn. God - hear and heal. Come on Church. Surely this is a battle cry to us right now. It’s time for us to turn from our indolence and really call upon the Lord to fulfil His promises to us. It’s time to just give ourselves to Him to do with and use as He wills. Can you pay that price? Can I pay the price?

I hope so.