I wonder if you have a favourite character from the Bible.
There are so many to choose from. Just from the Old Testament, there is Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Aaran.
We have David who beat Goliath and Daniel who overcame the lions.
There are great leaders like Joshua, Deborah, and Gideon. Plus, there is Esther, Ruth, Solomon, and Isaiah.
And these are just a few of the men and women of God who lived lives of influence from the Old Testament.
If you asked me to choose a favourite character from the Old Testament, it would have to be Elijah. He battled with the prophets of Baal and Jezebel.
At times, when the going got tough, he felt lonely and depressed. But God encouraged him and provided for him.
Elijah, a man of deep faith and prayer had felt defeated, but by the grace of God he became victorious.
Those who know me, know I am a Classical Music buff. Recently, I listened again to sections of Mendelsohn’s great oratorio, Elijah.
As I did so, I recalled a time when, as a member of a large chorus, I once sang this uplifting work and how my heart was stirred.
Within the libretto (sung text) are words from the Bible, “Cast thy care upon the Lord, for He shall sustaineth thee” (1 Peter 5:7), and “Lift thine eyes, O lift thine eyes to the mountains. Whence cometh thy help? Thy help cometh from the Lord” (Psalm 121:1), among many others.
But I particularly love the final chorus. It is so powerful and majestic.
The words are:
“And then shall your light break forth as the light of morning breaketh: and your health shall speedily spring forth then: and the glory of the Lord ever shall reward you. Lord, our Creator, how excellent Thy Name is in all the nations! Thou fillest heaven with Thy glory. Amen.”
These are taken from Isaiah 58:8 and Psalm 8:1. In a modern translation (the Amplified Version) it says,
“Then [God’s] light will break out like the dawn,
And your healing (restoration, new life) will quickly spring forth;
Your righteousness will go before you [leading you to peace and prosperity],
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth!
You have displayed Your splendour above the heavens.”
As we begin each day let us remember our God who goes before us. How great is the Lord and most worthy of our praise.
Amen.
Major Adrian Maddern from Reading Central Salvation Army, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Reading
