During a recent time away, Brian and I found ourselves on a tour bus weaving our way through tiny towns in an exotic place. As we driving through the small towns the back drop was a magnificent view of the ocean. Small homes and businesses lined the streets with spaces between for access to and from the stunning beach that made up their back yard.

Town after little town, the urban planning was the same.

Here’s what I found interesting. As we drove through the towns lined with small houses and businesses people were seen sitting outside these establishments facing the street.

Here we were a bus full of people from a far away land enamoured by the beauty and majesty of the ocean - literally craning our necks to see the grand movement of the waves as they crashed on the rocks. And there they were, people who lived in this stunning location not looking at what we travelled so far to see but rather they sat facing the road.

It seemed weird to me. If I lived there, why would I look at the street? I would look at the ocean.

Or would I?

If I lived with the ocean as my backyard would I find the comings and goings on the street more interesting? Would I turn my back to the beauty of the ocean as “oh hum”?

And then it got me thinking…. how often do we do that with God?

God is there. Always. A steady constant like the waves of the ocean. Big, vast, beautiful. Do we turn our backs to that which is to look for something that might be?

This week we are continuing our sermon series on Elisha. An ordinary guy who, by keeping his eyes on God was able to do extraordinary things.