Articles, Questions, & Answers

by Alice Smith

“It was undoubtedly, the most intriguing article I had read in a long time. Evidently, Elvis Presley was making another comeback. A few years ago, a Presley look-alike contest took place in New England and the Boston Globe was there to cover it. They ran a story that spotlighted a disillusioned fan named Dennis Wise. His comments are revealing:

Elvis Presley was and is my idol. I’ve seen his concerts, I have every album he’s recorded, and watched every movie he’s made. I once got a hair contour like his, and now I have a facelift that looks just like him…I have won Elvis look-alike contests dozens of times…I have ticket stubs and clippings from programs around the world; I even own some Elvis pillows from Japan.

I wanted him to see me, so I would often storm the stage, during and after his concerts. I don’t think he ever noticed me. I once even climbed the walls around Graceland, the Presley mansion, to catch a glimpse of him. I think it might have been him wandering through the house as I looked through my binoculars, but I’m not sure. What an irony. It’s actually funny. All the effort I put into following him…and I never could seem to get close.

Do you hear the despondency in his words? Here’s a fan who began following Elvis with high expectations and ended with low fulfillment. You might call it raw disappointment. The words are haunting: ‘I don’t think he ever noticed me…I never could seem to get close.’

Hmmm. This article caused me to reflect on my relationship with the Lord and question how many times over the years I have felt the same way about God—much less had the courage to admit it. And, I am a leader! I’ve led Bible Studies, prayed, preached, fasted, sang the songs and even lifted my hands. Yet, if I’d get honest about it, at times I have felt just like Dennis Wise did about his idol, Elvis: “All the effort I put into following Him…and I never could seem to get close.” Leadership development specialist, Tim Elmore

Do you hear the despondency in his words? Here’s a fan who began following Elvis with high expectations and ended with low fulfillment. You might call it raw disappointment. The words are haunting: ‘I don’t think he ever noticed me…I never could seem to get close.’

Hmmm. This article caused me to reflect on my relationship with the Lord and question how many times over the years I have felt the same way about God—much less had the courage to admit it. And, I am a leader! I’ve led Bible Studies, prayed, preached, fasted, sang the songs and even lifted my hands. Yet, if I’d get honest about it, at times I have felt just like Dennis Wise did about his idol, Elvis: “All the effort I put into following Him…and I never could seem to get close.”

Perhaps you too have shared Dennis’s frustration–times when intimacy with God seemed unattainable. Whether people admit it or not, every person in pursuit of God has struggled to feel his presence. Having taught throughout the world about intimacy with God, some people assume I have an advantage over them. I don’t. I must cultivate, maintain, and guard my intimacy with the Lord…just like you. But intimates with God do have advantages!

One of our advantages comes from being able to study the many biblical mentors who have left us a legacy. It’s been said that life must be lived with foresight, but it can only be understood with hindsight. Let’s spend a few minutes reviewing the life of Moses, an intimate of God, and see what we can learn from him.

Moses had the benefit of being raised in an Egyptian palace. He had learned the ways of royalty and received the respect, position, and privilege that only nobility can provide. But when God’s finger pointed in his direction, Moses was driven off into the wilderness to become alone and abased.

Everything he had learned in terms of Pharaoh’s world had to be laid down and unlearned so he could walk in God’s kind of nobility, servant leadership. And what greater place to learn the ways of God than in the wilderness! There, he had no distractions. There, he met the Lord in the burning bush and came to know his voice. There, he learned to take his shoes off and walk in humility. There, he learned his personal purpose and how to follow God.

Moses learned during his forty-year wilderness that his wounds were needed in order to identify with the hearts and hurts of those he would lead. Dear friend, please don’t waste your dry periods, because they are your credentials for helping others along the way.

Can you imagine being asked to lead a nation through a wilderness? Moses was nervous. Who wouldn’t be! He knew that if God didn’t show up, he didn’t want to be there either. Let’s listen in on the conversation between Moses and God: “Please, if this is really so, show me your intentions so I will understand you more fully and do exactly what you want me to do. Besides, don’t forget that this nation is your very own people.” And the LORD replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses. I will give you rest–everything will be fine for you.” Then Moses said, “If you don’t go with us personally, don’t let us move a step from this place” (Exod. 33:13-15).

Moses would not go forward without the presence of the Lord. He had a reluctance to act until he knew what the outcome would be, but God merely assured him of his presence and his ability to guide his steps. You too may be afraid to move forward. Questions invade your mind: Did God really tell me to do this? What happens if I fail?

I’m reminded of a time when a man asked Mother Theresa to pray for guidance for his future. Her reply, “Why should you have a roadmap when the rest of us have to walk by faith?”

Part of developing intimacy is walking with God through our dilemas and letting him be our support. During crises, I have often felt painfully disturbed, distracted, and unsure. I wondered how I could possibly accomplish what God called me to do because I was so unprepared for the task. Moses didn’t feel prepared to face his crisis in leading the nation either, yet God told him, “As my glorious presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed. Then I will remove my hand, and you will see me from behind. But my face will not be seen” (Exod. 33:22-23).

Sometimes we don’t know what God is doing until we see it in hindsight. It is then that we know that he was there all the time, and we feel more willing to trust him again. The result is greater intimacy.

I once heard about a farmer who approached his milking cow carrying a bucket. He stopped and asked, “Okay, Molly, what is it going to be today–milk or chopped steak? I know that example might sound silly, but people often get the idea that if they pursue the Lord and begin to go deeper with him, the cost will be more than they are willing to pay. We all long for more of his presence, but then we read verses such as Luke 12:48, which tells us that “from everyone who has been give much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

God wrote these words in the Bible to encourage us. This verse means that the more we receive and prove ourselves trustworthy, the more we will be trusted to do greater things. But Satan twists the way we perceive the motivation of God’s heart so that we fear being disqualified if we blow it. The resulting fear leads to paralysis.

Have you worried that if you disobeyed or did something stupid during the crunch time, you would be disqualified for future ministry opportunities? If so, you’ve believed a lie. Relax. The Lord is good. He will never leave you in a defeated place. He simply wants us to stay humble, teachable and always hungry for more of him. Jesus is a great guide.

The cost of intimacy is great, but living without it is far more costly! Exodus 33:11 records that God called Moses his friend, and friends have advantages. Imagine the joy of hearing the Father call you friend too!