There Still Remain a Remnant

Do you ever feel as though you are the only one who is taking a stance for or against something? Chances are you have been in that position before. I have been and have felt a little isolated. Likewise living for Jesus may feel like this sometimes, you may feel out of place, because the choices you have made are not popular. You are even meant to feel weird for the decision you have made.

Though you may feel alone in the stance that you have made, be assured that you are not alone. In every generation there are a group of individuals that have decide to stand for God despite the pressure to neglect his Word. In the Bible there are individuals who stood for God despite the odds being stack against them. One such individual is Elijah who came to find out that he was not alone in his stance not to serve Baal.

In 1^st King 19 we read of Elijah the has he was running away from Jezebel. While at Horeb the Lord appeared to him and asked him why he was there? Elijah in his discouraged state, said that he had remained faithful to God, but the Israelites had turned their backs on God and all the prophets had been killed and he was the only prophet left and they were trying to kill him as well (vs 10 and 16). In that moment Elijah believe that he was the only one that had remained faithful to God. The Lord interjected and informed Elijah that he had reserved seven thousand persons in Israel who had not bowed to Baal. God also sent him to anoint Elisha who would succeed him as a prophet and Jehu as king over Israel. God reassured Elijah that he was not alone in his stand for righteousness but that there remains a remnant- a called out, set apart people.

Let us be encouraged that we are not alone when we take a stand for God, but there are others doing so as well. The choices that you make may seem unpopular- you may even be mocked, scorned or ridiculed, but I encourage you to keep standing, you are not alone- there is a remnant.

Let us get a little personal. I am thirty years old, unmarried and I have decided to abstain from sexual intercourse until marriage. Nowadays this is not a popular stance and because of this one may feel out of place. However, I am constantly reminded that I am not alone, and there are other persons who have taken a similar stance and have reaped the benefits of doing so. This pushes me forward and encourages me to stay the course.

Individuals will make all kind of crazy suggestions when they do not fully support you in the choices that you have. I have a colleague who have reminded me that I am getting older and that my biological clock is ticking. The suggestion has been made that I need to have a child before my youthful days passes.  He has suggested that I find a man, have a child and then forget about the father. Others may have done it, but this is not the will of God for my life. This scenario does not fit in at all with the word of God.

I want to encourage you, if you find yourself in a position where you asked to compromise your faith, continue to stand for the word of God. I guarantee you; you are not alone in your stance. I encourage you to find persons who are like-minded- whether it is a physical (local assembly) and/or an online community that can encourage you in your walk with God.

The remnant speaks to persons who are seeking to follow the word of God despite the spiritual decline in our world. These persons are not necessarily perfect but are aiming to please God in every aspect of their lives. In what ways are you seeking to honor God, even though it is unpopular? Share in the comments below.

Dear Lord,

We thank You for your love and grace, we are grateful that you have never left us, nor have you forsaken us. You assured us that even in the times that we feel alone, there is a remnant chosen by grace. We pray for this remnant generation who have decided to stand for you despite the noise the crowd is making. Lord, you do not require a crowd but require only a few- the remnant, who have chosen to live for you in a time of spiritual decline. A time when the right is seen as wrong and the wrong is seen as right. Even in this time, when many have turned their face away from God, continue to raise up a remnant generation, a group of people who will live for you no matter what may come. We thank you even now for that which you will do in this season through your remnant in Jesus name.

AMEN.