My Revelation

I had read through 1 Kings 13 during the morning. It had been stuck in the back of my head all day, sitting there, waiting to be digested. I was sitting in my seat, squirming a bit, I’d been sitting for so long! But John Piper’s words were quite good. He was talking about how we found our purpose from God in life by immersing ourselves in the Bible, and reading it until something grabbed up, something that we couldn’t let go of. Once again 1 Kings 13 was in my mind. The words kept going through my heart. I knew right then and there that I had found my new direction in life. Yes, God will fine-tune it as I go, He’ll continue to direct me, but right now I have a starting point.

1 Kings 13 follows the story of Jeroboam, the king who replaced Solomon. Jeroboam was given the same promise from God that Solomon was: If he followed God’s statues and obeyed his commandments the LORD would bless him and he’d always have a son on the throne. Well, Jeroboam gave into human nature and messed up. He was having altars set up for him, receiving sacrifices. God had something to say about this and introduced a new man into the story.

First, I’m struck with the name of the person. He is the Man of God. This Man of God speaks out against Jeroboam. As Jeroboam tries to stop the Man of God Jeroboam’s hand withers, then the Man of God’s words come true and the altars that Jeroboam have set up split down the middle. Jeroboam is astonished and pleads with the Man of God to approach God on his half for healing. The Man of God does this, and Jeroboam’s hand is restored.

Jeroboam asks the Man of God to come back to his place so that he can reward this Man. I was so struck by the words of the Man of God:

"If you were to give me half your house, I still wouldn't go with you, and I wouldn't eat bread or drink water in this place, for this is what I was commanded by the word of the LORD: You must not eat bread or drink water or go back the way you came.' “So he went another way; he did not go back by the way he had come to Bethel. V8-10

If the story had ended hear everything would be good. The Man of God would have gone on to do great things in the name of the Lord. This Man of God might have blazed a trail proclaiming the word of the Lord. Alas, this is not what happened.

In the town of Bethel there was this Old Prophet. The Old Prophet heard about the works of the Man of God from his sons and had to meet up. So the Old Prophet had his sons saddle up his Donkey and he went to meet this Man of God. I’ve paraphrased this story so far, but the Bible explains oh so more clearly what happened than I ever could. Let us look at verses 14-24


He followed the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?"

"I am," he said.

15Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread."

16 But he answered, "I cannot go back with you, eat bread, or drink water with you in this place, 17 for a message came to me by the word of the LORD: 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or go back by the way you came.' "

He said to him, "I am also a prophet like you. An angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD: 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' " The old prophet deceived him, 19 and the man of God went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water.

20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back, 21 and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because you rebelled against the command of the LORD and did not keep the commandment that the LORD your God commanded you, but you went back and ate bread and drank water in the place that He said to you: Do not eat bread and do not drink water, your corpse will never reach the grave of your fathers. ' "

23 So after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, the old prophet saddled the donkey for the prophet he had brought back. 24 When he left, a lion met him along the way and killed him. His corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey was standing beside it; the lion was standing beside the corpse too.


It took the words of John Piper to make me acknowledge the words that God was trying to speak to me. I am this Man of God. God has blessed me, He’s prepared me, He’s used me. Heck, I should be dead twice right now, but for the Glory of God I still stand here. Yet I’m following a dangerous path. I’ve been living in a life not pleasing to the Lord. Sure, I’m not a “bad” person, but I haven’t been living as a man of God, either. I still can’t get the words of the Man of God out of my mind.

"If you were to give me half your house, I still wouldn't go with you, and I wouldn't eat bread or drink water in this place, for this is what I was commanded by the word of the LORD: You must not eat bread or drink water or go back the way you came.' “So he went another way; he did not go back by the way he had come to Bethel. V8-10

God’s purpose in my life was suddenly crystal clear. I need to go a new way. I can’t go the way I’ve gone before. If I do only destruction, grief, and death await me.

In a few short days I will find myself back at Northwestern College in Iowa. It’s been a year since I’ve been there. As a student I can’t go back the way I’ve gone. I need to change my learning strategies, my habits. When I was at NWC I was in stagnicity (a new word for your viewing pleasure) with the Lord. Never again. I’m not going back the way I’ve came.

In that command from God a new purpose was laid on my heart. I have to go a new way. I need to blaze a trail for Christ. In light of this new calling from God I have made a pledge. After I graduate from college I shall spend one year of my life doing full time ministry. What this entails I’m not exactly sure. I might do a year overseas missions internship with Campus Crusade. I may find myself doing something locally in the US. I need to pray and seek God’s direction for my life.

I have to admit, I’m a bit scared about this. I have a hindrance, my body. My artificial knee can be such a burden. Normally it doesn’t bug me, but when I’m tired it gets in the way. Right now I keep thinking about spending a year in Ghana. I’m not convinced this is the Lord’s plan for my life, but I haven’t ruled it out, either. But being in a foreign country is sure to tax my knee and my body to the limit. Yet, I know that God is good, and that He will walk by my side through whatever call He lays on my heart.

I’m also so excited. At TCX I met God face to face. I have seen a glimpse of my future and I know that God is going to use me, his servant, to be a Man of God for him. I just need to be willing. Here is my prayer:

Lord, use me, for I am willing.
Lord, continue to make me willing.
Even when other distractions arise,
Make me willing to turn them aside and follow You.
Lord make me willing
To radiate your love and Your goodness.
Lord, make me willing
To blaze a new trail.
Lord, I will not go back the way that I have gone before.
Lord, I am willing.