Gordon's Blog Spot: 'Why are you?' - Weekly Reflection 20th July 2025

In one of the many memorable scenes from the film ‘Oh! What a Lovely War,’ * wounded soldiers have arrived back in ‘Blighty’ and are awaiting onward passage to various hospitals. The film is interspersed with songs popularised at the time, many with a dark gallows humour. As they wait at a London train station a song begins to emerge with the lyrics being simple and repetitive, reflecting on the futility of war. “We’re here because we’re here because we’re here because we’re here. We’re here because we’re here because, we’re here because we’re here,” Sung to the tune of ‘Auld Lang Syne.’

In 1 Kings 19, we read the story of Elijah and the contest with the prophets of Baal. And in verses 9 and 13 we hear God address Elijah and ask him this question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Now that is a good question to tuck in our back pockets and think about regularly.

(If you want to explore this question then I can highly recommend ‘Invitation to Silence and Solitude’ by Ruth Haley Barton.’

And when should we be asking that question, ‘what am I doing here’ – or perhaps to make it more pertinent, ‘what am I doing here for God’s sake.’

It may seem rather odd, but I have often pondered on why a bird suddenly takes flight from sitting on a fence or in a tree. What makes them decide to do that, or is there no decision involved, purely natural reflexes. A life lived around reproduction and survival.

This leads us into asking philosophical questions about the cognitive behaviour of the human species.

Are we merely atoms bouncing around randomly like a giant pin ball machine.

Or do we have purpose and agency to determine our course of action?

Well for many of those young men fighting in WW1 there was little or no choice. The external circumstances beyond their control brought things about to the point where they ended up wounded and waiting on a London train station to go to hospital.

It was the stoic philosophers who pondered this and came up with a school of thought about our choosing how to react especially to external circumstances beyond our control.

At the heart of Stoic philosophy lies the concept of understanding what is within our control and what is not. According to Stoics, only our own actions, thoughts, and feelings are under our direct control. External events, the actions of others, and the past or future, are outside this sphere. Recognizing this distinction helps individuals focus their energy and attention on what they can influence, thereby fostering a sense of empowerment and serenity.

Victor Frankl's seminal book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ is Frankl’s account of his time in the Nazi concentration camp. His insights into our ability to find meaning despite great adversity has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers since it was first published in 1946. He speaks of watching the light of hope dissapear from men's eyes and knowing that in a few days they would be dead.

So, when should you ask the question, what am I doing here?

Well, as those who confess faith in God mediated through Jesus and empowered by the Spirit, as those who believe that God’s plans and purposes are being worked out primarily through human agency, surely that question is to be asked wherever we find ourselves and whatever we find ourselves doing, ‘regardless of the circumstances’ we might find ourselves in.

However, those ‘circumstances’ might have left us beaten, broken, bruised and battered, as they had for Elijah. But read 1 Kings 19 carefully and prayerfully and you will notice how God met with Elijah, how God gently restored Elijah, how God recommissioned Elijah.

(If you want a good succinct study on life application for today check this out. Study 7 WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ELIJAH? - Words of Life Ministries CIO)

Peter, like Elijah, was restored and recommissioned, and in so doing Jesus spoke these words, “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” John 21.18.

We may not have a choice on where we go but we always have a choice on our response and can say to God as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, ‘your will be done,’ or God, in his love and graciousness says to us, ‘your will be done.’

The choice is always yours and always mine to make.

For God’s sake, for the world’s sake and for your own sake, make sure that it’s the right choice!

For God is working his purpose as year succeeds to year and offers us an invitation to particpate...

https://youtu.be/yb75RsKBKvI?si=iBpDuG9rr0Gz03Jb

(And this is a very interesting version of this hymn classic!)