According to the Books of Kings, Elijah defended the worship of Yahweh over that of the more popular Baal (maybe an ancient demon god ... idk, apparently seen as real rather then man-made like a golden calf...). Elijah was a prophet/mouth piece for God. He participated in some truly epic events, culminating in his ascension into heaven in a whirlwind [either accompanied by a chariot and horses of flame, or riding in it (a chariot of the gods type thing)]. In the Book of Malachi, Elijah's return is prophesied "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord," heralding the return of the Messiah (just like John the Baptist announced the New Testament Christ), and the eschaton (refers to the end of the present world) in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. Derivative references to Elijah appear in the Talmud, Mishnah, the New Testament, and the Qur'an. See just about any "holy" book or wikipedia (lol) for more on Elijah...

"Elijah is also a figure in various folkloric traditions. In Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania, he is known as "Elijah the Thunderer" and in folklore is held responsible for summer storms, hail, rain, thunder, and dew."~Wikipedia again and c/p here for my amusement.
(baal used to get top billing as the thunder god ... maybe where the idea of stealing one's thunder originated). I think it's funny that a guy noted for departure in a wheel inside a wheel is also associated with the trouble makers of aviation weather ... but I digress ...
(and dew? really? Who did the fleece/dew thing?).

Elijah.
If there ever was a man who I would think would be rock solid, it would be Elijah. Elijah is the model for boldly and directly standing up for what is right. (This suddenly reminded me of a movie I viewed recently ... The Book of Eli ... bit grisly for me, but recommended, and Denzelicious) Back to boldly standing up for ... knowing what's right, speaking up for what is right, unselfconsciously, passionately doing what is right ... until one day ... Elijah got scared and/or tired and ran and hid in a cave (of solid rock?). I totally understand tired. I understand scared too ... scared that you just aren't up to the task ... or like singing in public is for me - just scared of being so vulnerable. Tired and scared come in the same package for me.

God again speaks to Elijah (1 Kings 19:9): "What doest thou here, Elijah?". Elijah did not give a direct answer to the Lord's question but evades and equivocates, implying that the work the Lord had begun centuries earlier had now come to nothing, and that his own work was fruitless. ~Wikipea - makes it very easy to snap shot the story here.

It is a wonderful strange puzzling ... epic ... story. Here's this guy ten feet tall and bullet proof, living large ... and then folding ... and running for his life.

I've been thinking about all the lessons swirling around Elijah for several months now. I like that he "put himself out there" in service ... or maybe a better feel for it would be in submission to what God had planned for him. He had a full plate didn't he? I like to think of him mastering his human fears and pushing on. I like that,even for a guy like him, one day it was just too much ... . I like that God is like, Uhh, what are you doing Elijah? It's just funny to me. Elijah must have been pretty tired because, although he pulled it together and participated in some more of God's master plan, pretty soon in the Bible narrative he departs for a nice long break (I hope it's superduper nice ... his reappearance in the book of Revelation is pretty rough). I really like that he was on speaking terms with God ... and listening terms ... a real relationship.

So ... there's only one Elijah. Wow. He had, and still has, a huge role in God's plan for humanity.

I think we are all part of the plan, interwoven in the plan ... we all have our roles in a drama too large to see from here.

One of my most favorite things is getting to notice a person just doing the right thing. In my own tiny life I have benefited from people passing through just doing the right thing ... a tiny right thing can change a life. A tiny right thing ... so small ... maybe so casually offered that it goes unnoticed by the person doing it... .

I like Samson (in the Bible). He did a lot of foolishness. He showed up for what God had in mind occasionally too. (Samson was strong ... warrior-like. His skill set when focused for God's purpose was an incredible gift.) Those guys are all over the Bible. We put them on a pedestal, making them larger then just guys ... but the truth is they are all just severely flawed humans who occasionally (more or less so) stumble and or stride boldly towards just doing the right thing.

What I have noticed this ... those casual acts of rightness are most frequently offered within areas of personal passion or maybe better stated as areas of interest or strength ... where a person pours oneself ...into ... out on. If that is true (and I think it is), then we best serve or submit, when we offer back within those areas. Seems like our true purpose is found there.

Those small acts seem to me to be little scraps, sewn together by God into something larger, covering ... comforting ... encouraging ... sheltering us.