[Discoveries] 11-12-08 Acting on orders -- 1 Kings 18:43

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*"Go and look toward the sea," [Elijah] said to his servant. And he 
went up and looked.*/
/*"There is nothing there," he said.*/
/*Seven times Elijah said, "Go back."*/
/*-- 1 Kings 18:43*/

Sometimes we go to the cupboard looking for answered prayer, and there's 
nothing there.

A pastor I knew was an air traffic controller in Korea during the Korean 
War. One night he was faced with a terrible dilemma. A North Korean 
bomber was flying around the hills trying to find their base and bomb 
it. Everything was blacked out, so the bomber was dropping bombs 
harmlessly in a deserted valley nearby. But an American plane was 
returning to base. The sophisticated navigational systems that we now 
take for granted were not available then. The only way the pilot could 
safely land was to see the runway. The only way to see the runway was to 
turn on the lights. But if he turned on the lights, the bomber would 
find the base and bomb it.

In the tower with the controller was a friend of the American pilot. He 
demanded that the controller turn on the lights. The controller refused, 
citing his orders to keep the base in a blackout while an enemy bomber 
was in the vicinity. Eventually, the American plane ran out of fuel and 
crashed into the side of a mountain, killing the pilot.

There was an investigation. Why did the young air traffic controller 
refuse to turn on the lights? His actions led to the death of an 
American pilot and the loss of an American plane. How could he explain 
himself?

The General conducting the investigation looked at the air traffic 
controller. But after hearing ten words, he dismissed the case against him.

"Sir," the air traffic controller said, "I was acting on the last orders 
I received."

Sometimes in life, we need to move forward on the last orders we 
received. God has given us an instruction, He hasn't given us any 
updates or changes, so we move ahead on the instruction we have unless 
and until God chooses to change it.

God honored Elijah's persistence, and the seventh time, He sent the 
promised rain.

Be encouraged!
Dwight

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