Elijah was a prophet of God who experienced distressing and discouraging times. After great victory by God's grace against the prophets of Ba'al on Carmel, all gladness was quickly soured by threats from wicked queen Jezebel. Many preachers and Christians have been incredulous concerning Elijah's response, almost accusing him of forgetting what God had done or minimising the impact of a death threat. Elijah was certainly a man of God and had the Spirit of God upon him, but he was a man like the rest of us. At a point the demands and pressures of life can become unbearable. I have experienced lonely moments like this, when trials immediately deflate us of joy - and my life wasn't even on the line. A heart at rest in the victory of God can be easily battered and beaten at the whim of disappointing news, and our enemies are not merciful.
The prophet, upon hearing the threats of Jezebel, isolated himself from his servant and went on alone. He despaired of life, and it felt like dying was better than living. God in His grace would provide all Elijah needed to continue, both physically and spiritually. 1 Kings 19:5-8 says, "Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God."
God sent an angel who provided Elijah with bread and water twice to sustain him for the journey which stretched ahead Elijah was not yet aware of. In the strength of the food God provided Elijah pressed on for forty days and nights until he came to the "mountain of God." Here is a great picture of the life of faith in Jesus Christ, how He is our Living Bread and He supplies the Living Water we need to persevere through this earthly pilgrimage. It's hard to keep on going; it's tough when you feel alone. All the continual effort and caring doesn't seem to accomplish much. And if we look to ourselves, others, or to our circumstances for hope there is none to be found. But pains and discouragements have a way of recentring our gaze on the LORD, His Word, and His promises. If we don't eat or drink spiritually we will waste away and be unable to continue, and this is a reason why many gifted and called servants of God quit.
Yesterday I was treated to the sustaining power of God's Word throughout the day. Let's just say the day did not go like I thought or hoped it would. In my morning reading I came upon Psalm 13:5-6: "But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me." The Psalmist David wrote this when he was feeling alone and forgotten. He experienced sorrow daily and felt beaten up by his enemies. But he came to a place when, without any change of his feelings or circumstances, his perspective shifted to focus on God. David was reminded of the mercy of God and he had been granted salvation from God. This caused a change in his mind and heart and he sang praises to God because of the bountiful way God had dealt with him. Boy, these verses encouraged me all day long when temptation to despair came! I had salvation going for me, and how bountiful God has been towards me!
How good is the Word of God, and how well it sustains us! The Word is compared to good seed, and when sown in the heart of a believer it is very fruitful according to its own kind. Our circumstances are like the sharp blade of the plough which painfully open our hard hearts to receive God's Word. It does not produce baked loaves of bread which can be eaten straight away: the grain it produces can be eaten raw, but it must be threshed, prepared, and ground into flour. Elijah had cakes prepared for him by the angel, and God prepares great bounty for us to feast on. Who knows what the next forty days holds for us, what God will accomplish in that time, or how He will lead us in pressing on! All I know is we need the Bread of Life and the Living Water, the Holy Spirit. Thank God He will sustain us, and His Word is an indispensable supply for all our need so He might lead us to Himself.
The prophet, upon hearing the threats of Jezebel, isolated himself from his servant and went on alone. He despaired of life, and it felt like dying was better than living. God in His grace would provide all Elijah needed to continue, both physically and spiritually. 1 Kings 19:5-8 says, "Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God."
God sent an angel who provided Elijah with bread and water twice to sustain him for the journey which stretched ahead Elijah was not yet aware of. In the strength of the food God provided Elijah pressed on for forty days and nights until he came to the "mountain of God." Here is a great picture of the life of faith in Jesus Christ, how He is our Living Bread and He supplies the Living Water we need to persevere through this earthly pilgrimage. It's hard to keep on going; it's tough when you feel alone. All the continual effort and caring doesn't seem to accomplish much. And if we look to ourselves, others, or to our circumstances for hope there is none to be found. But pains and discouragements have a way of recentring our gaze on the LORD, His Word, and His promises. If we don't eat or drink spiritually we will waste away and be unable to continue, and this is a reason why many gifted and called servants of God quit.
Yesterday I was treated to the sustaining power of God's Word throughout the day. Let's just say the day did not go like I thought or hoped it would. In my morning reading I came upon Psalm 13:5-6: "But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me." The Psalmist David wrote this when he was feeling alone and forgotten. He experienced sorrow daily and felt beaten up by his enemies. But he came to a place when, without any change of his feelings or circumstances, his perspective shifted to focus on God. David was reminded of the mercy of God and he had been granted salvation from God. This caused a change in his mind and heart and he sang praises to God because of the bountiful way God had dealt with him. Boy, these verses encouraged me all day long when temptation to despair came! I had salvation going for me, and how bountiful God has been towards me!
How good is the Word of God, and how well it sustains us! The Word is compared to good seed, and when sown in the heart of a believer it is very fruitful according to its own kind. Our circumstances are like the sharp blade of the plough which painfully open our hard hearts to receive God's Word. It does not produce baked loaves of bread which can be eaten straight away: the grain it produces can be eaten raw, but it must be threshed, prepared, and ground into flour. Elijah had cakes prepared for him by the angel, and God prepares great bounty for us to feast on. Who knows what the next forty days holds for us, what God will accomplish in that time, or how He will lead us in pressing on! All I know is we need the Bread of Life and the Living Water, the Holy Spirit. Thank God He will sustain us, and His Word is an indispensable supply for all our need so He might lead us to Himself.
