| 1 Kings 19 is one of the most remarkable
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| | spacious place of saving his people.
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| chapters in the Bible. For the depressed
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| | There are times when we have to be "caved
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| and lonely it is a necessary chapter, for
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| | in" to gather strength and to learn
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| it encourages a view of God as a Presence
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| | valuable lessons so we may be worthy to
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| who loves in spite of what we do and what
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| | do God's work within the greater plan
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| we are. It is a display of God's power,
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| | which He has for us.But what about the
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| as well, and is similar to the rebuke God
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| | discouragement and physical exhaustion we
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| gave to Job when Job questioned and
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| | experience as human beings? Does God
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| murmured (although given similar
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| | really understand how frail we are? Yes!
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| circumstances, how well would we have
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| | When we fail and fall, He lifts us to
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| endured?). God answered Job out of the
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| | even greater heights of work for Him.
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| whirlwind (Job 38:1) as he sat on the
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| | "The Lord upholds all those who fall and
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| dunghill with his friends, and He
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| | lifts up all who are bowed down" (Psalm
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| answered Elijah in the still small voice
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| | 145:14). Our Lord's life on earth was
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| on Mount Horeb, as Elijah peeked out from
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| | spent in putting down the lofty and
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| the cave in which he sought to hide from
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| | lifting the lowly. "But many who are
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| the world in which he was so disappointed
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| | first will be last, and many who are last
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| (1 Kings 19:12).Even in discouragement
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| | will be first" (Matthew 19:30). If we
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| God meets us where we are, whether we
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| | think we are last in fame and fortune, we
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| have unwillingly and unwittingly landed
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| | need to remind ourselves that it is the
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| on the heap of the rubbish and wreckage
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| | meek who God calls His children. And when
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| of life or we are hiding in a cave, away
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| | we are bowed down with infirmities of
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| from what we perceive to be an inhumane
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| | mind and body, He reaches down to raise
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| humanity. He knows whether we need the
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| | us from a living death.From sinking sand
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| whirlwind or the soft breeze to get us
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| | He lifted me,
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| back on His track. God knows that we
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| | With tender hand He lifted me;
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| damage our compass of life now and then
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| | From shades of night to plains of light,
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| with the heat of our passions and the
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| | O praise His name, He lifted me.
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| cold of our indifference. Our "sense of
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| | (Hymn, He Lifted Me, Charles H. Gabriel,
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| instrumentation" becomes faulty and we
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| | 1856-1932)."So he [Jesus] went to her,
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| head in the direction of a living death.
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| | took her hand and helped her up" (Mark
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| We need to regain the sense of "mission
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| | 1:31). He does no less for all his
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| and submission."It is interesting that
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| | helpless children. But Jesus came and
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| Elijah, Moses and Jonah all requested
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| | touched them. 'Get up,' he said, 'Don't
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| that they be allowed to die. Listen to
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| | be afraid'" (Matthew 17:7). "People were
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| Jonah: "Now, O Lord, take away my life,
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| | also bringing babies to Jesus to have him
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| for it is better for me to die than to
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| | touch them" (Luke 18:15). "For though a
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| live" (Jonah 4:3); Moses: "If this is how
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| | righteous man falls seven times, he rises
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| you [Lord] are going to treat me, put me
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| | again" (Proverbs 24:16). Seven times;
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| to death right now" (Numbers 11:15);
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| | seventy times seven times; whenever we
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| Elijah: "I have had enough, Lord, take my
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| | fall! The secret is in getting up again.
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| life; I am no better than my ancestors"
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| | What a great comfort this verse is to the
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| (1 Kings 19:4c). Job's troubles drove him
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| | discouraged who grope for strength and
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| to cursing the day he was born: "May the
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| | find they do not even have the strength
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| day of my birth perish..." (Job 3:3a).
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| | to gather strength. "Being confident of
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| His existence which was a joy before has
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| | this, that he who began a good work in
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| now become his intolerable burden. It is
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| | you will carry it on to completion until
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| good for us to know that God's greatest
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| | the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians
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| heroes had their moments of despair--and
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| | 1:6). "For it is God who works in you to
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| that there are some prayers God does not
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| | will and to act according to his good
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| answer the way we would like.It is also
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| | purpose" (Philippians 2:14). The good
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| good to know that one of God's great
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| | man's fall is an event; the bent of the
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| heroes, Paul, said, "It is more necessary
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| | good man's life is goodness. This was so
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| for you that I remain in the body.
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| | with Elijah. It was so with Peter, too.
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| Convinced of this...I will continue with
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| | One look from our Lord and we weep
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| all of you for your progress and joy in
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| | bitterly over our fall from His grace and
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| the faith..." (Philippians 1:24,25). Paul
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| | graciousness (Matthew 26:75)."The eternal
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| wanted Paradise where the weary find
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| | God is your refuge, (not a cave!), and
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| rest, the sad find joy, the lonely find
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| | underneath are the everlasting arms"
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| kindred spirits, the fearful find safe
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| | (Deuteronomy 33:27). Underneath our
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| harbor, and the doubting Thomases and
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| | sorrow are arms that lift us to the shore
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| Thomasenas find assurance and
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| | of serenity. "Teacher, don't you care if
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| reassurance.But earthly claims checked
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| | we drown?" (Mark 4:38). He said to their
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| Paul's desire, and check ours, also. He
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| | storm as He says to our chaos, "Quiet! Be
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| wanted to dissolve but instead resolved
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| | still!" (v.39). "Then the wind died and
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| against his own wishes. Paul obviously
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| | it was completely calm" (v.39b). "Come to
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| had no fear of dying, but his eye and
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| | me, all you who are weary and burdened,
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| heart were single to the glory of God and
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| | and I will give you rest" (Matthew
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| that meant staying in his earthly vessel
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| | 11:28)."I have made you and I will carry
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| for a while longer. In 2 Corinthians
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| | you" (Isaiah 46:4). Because He created
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| 4:16, Paul says, "Therefore we do not
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| | us, He will carry us! What a sublime
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| lose heart. Though outwardly we are
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| | thought this is to the brokenhearted.
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| wasting away, yet inwardly we are being
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| | "`For I know the plans I have for you,'
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| renewed day by day." We are "treasures in
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| | declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you
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| jars of clay."Paul also pleaded with God
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| | and not to harm you, plans to give you
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| through earnest and prolonged prayer that
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| | hope and a future'" (Jeremiah 29:11). It
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| an irritation be removed from his life.
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| | isn't God's plan for us to be defeated
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| Paul did not take a fatalistic attitude
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| | and to run away. He will even carry us to
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| about pain and suffering; he knew it was
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| | the designated place He has for us, but
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| all right to ask God for its removal.
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| | if we are running in the wrong direction,
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| "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to
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| | we will run by ourselves."So we say with
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| take [the thorn] away from me. But he
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| | confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I
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| said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for
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| | will not be afraid. What can man do to
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| you, for my power is made perfect in
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| | me?'" (Hebrews 13:6); "If God is for us,
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| weakness'" (2 Corinthians 12:8,9). So it
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| | who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31); "I
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| is not wrong for us to plead with God to
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| | will not die but live, and will proclaim
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| remove a sorrow or an annoyance from our
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| | what the Lord has done" (Psalm 118:17).
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| life. Indeed, as our Friend, He expects
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| | People are often in danger: Joseph in the
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| us to ask Him so that we may receive. In
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| | pit, Moses in the ark of bulrushes, Job
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| the meantime, "I [Jesus] have prayed for
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| | on the dunghill, David's narrow escapes
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| you that your faith may not fail. And
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| | from Saul, Paul who was let down in the
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| when you have turned back, strengthen
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| | basket, and Jesus who "hid himself,
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| your brothers [and sisters]" (Luke
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| | slipping away from the temple grounds"
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| 22:32). His grace is His prayer for us.
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| | (John 8:59) for His time had not yet
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| And there is a condition which Paul
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| | come. "But they were furious and began to
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| understood, as well: after we are
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| | discuss with one another what they might
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| strengthened, we then are to encourage
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| | do to Jesus" (Luke 6:11); "If the world
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| and inspire others: "Praise be to the God
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| | hates you, keep in mind that it hated me
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| and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
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| | first...But this is to fulfill what is
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| Father of compassion and the God of all
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| | written in their Law: 'They hated me
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| comfort, who comforts us in all our
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| | without reason'" (John 15:18,25). They
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| troubles, so that we can comfort those in
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| | hated without reason, only with emotion
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| any trouble with the comfort we ourselves
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| | that is prejudiced. Jezebel hated Elijah
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| have received from God" (2 Corinthians
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| | because of emotion, and Elijah ran away
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| 1:3,4).Jesus asked His Father to be
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| | from this unreasonable woman.The
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| spared the cup when He knelt in agony in
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| | extraordinary message of 1 Kings 19 is
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| the Garden. He had told his disciples,
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| | that it is God's ordinary way of caring
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| "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to
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| | for us. Lest we think God is neglecting
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| the point of death. Stay here and keep
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| | us, let us remember that He gives
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| watch with me" (Matthew 26:38). He wanted
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| | provisions and not visions when we are in
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| company in His agony. He asks them later,
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| | distress. He uses the common means, rest
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| "Could you...not keep watch with me for
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| | and food: "Then he [Elijah] lay down
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| one hour?" (v.40). What a loving rebuke!
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| | under the tree and fell asleep ("I will
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| Yes, Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, was
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| | lie down and sleep in peace, for you
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| acquainted with grief. He even prayed,
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| | alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety"
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| "My Father, if it is possible, may this
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| | Psalm 4:8). "All at once an angel touched
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| cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will,
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| | him and said, 'Get up and eat'" (1 Kings
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| but as you will" (v.39).Jesus prayed to
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| | 19:5). In the depths of despair we are to
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| be spared death but He willingly died. It
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| | rest and then, bidden by God Himself, we
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| appears that His prayer was not answered
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| | are to get up and to eat. He asks us to
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| and yet it was, for Jesus fulfilled His
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| | do our part. We must not let the seeming
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| mission. God did not answer the prayers
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| | facts of what is happening in our life to
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| of Moses, Elijah, Jonah or Job, for their
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| | eclipse our faith and obscure our vision
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| missions were not yet fulfilled. All
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| | of God and so keep us from going to Him
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| prayers were and are answered because
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| | as He comes to us."The angel of the Lord
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| strength was and is given to meet the
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| | came back a second time and touched him
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| trials; finally, God's will was and is
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| | and said, 'Get up and eat, for the
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| done in all lives. What we wish does not
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| | journey is too much for you'" (1 Kings
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| determine God's will, whether we wish the
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| | 19:7). Not once but twice he is bidden to
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| release of death or the pleasures of
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| | arise from his lethargy of body and
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| life. It is God who determines the
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| | spirit and eat for strength so he might
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| courses and discourses of our lives.In
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| | continue on his journey. God does not
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| our fears and griefs of life, and the
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| | give up on us! "So [Elijah] got up and
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| seeming unfairness of what others do, we
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| | ate and drank. Strengthened by that food,
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| run away just as quickly as Elijah from
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| | he traveled..." (1 Kings 19:8). God
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| Jezebel and Jonah from Nineveh and Moses
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| | prepared a table in the wilderness for
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| from Egypt. We, too, would like to shed
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| | His beloved Elijah who thought he had
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| the skin, the lien--the terrible
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| | failed God. What a glorious lesson!
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| obligation--of our life. We, too, feel
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| | Surely He prepares a table for us in our
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| that we are no better than our
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| | wilderness and provides for us a
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| predecessors; in fact, we may be making a
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| | satisfying Bread of Life. We are to feed
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| huge mess of life. "But I said, 'I have
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| | on Him that we may have the strength to
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| labored to no purpose; I have spent my
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| | live in and for Him."The spirit is
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| strength in vain and for nothing...'"
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| | willing, but the body is weak" (Mark
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| (Isaiah 49:4). When Keats was dying, he
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| | 14:38b). Christ Jesus could say this to
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| said, "I have written my name on water."
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| | His beloved disciples who slept through
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| Later, Keats' name was written on marble.
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| | His lonely hour because He, too, knew
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| Christ Himself would be perceived as a
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| | rejection and sorrow and hunger and
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| total failure on earth--and Christ's name
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| | weariness to the extreme degree. God
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| is written on hearts and for eternity.The
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| | understands that we are not willfully
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| good news is that God is there in the
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| | weak. On the one hand, we have sins of
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| whirlwind of tragedy and failure and He's
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| | infirmity; on the other, we have
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| in the still small voice of conscience,
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| | infirmities that are not sins: fatigue,
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| too. He knows our frame, that we are made
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| | natural consequences of growing older,
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| of dust and fragile hearts; He redeems
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| | hunger, thirst, environment and heredity.
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| our life and crowns us with His love and
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| | This does not excuse us from overcoming,
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| compassion. Praise the Lord, O my soul!
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| | but it helps to know that God empathizes
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| (Psalm 103).Some have condemned Elijah
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| | with us because "He took up our
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| for running away from Jezebel and for
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| | infirmities and carried our sorrows"
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| requesting that God take his life. But
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| | (Isaiah 53:4). "In the same way, the
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| there is another side--certainly a more
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| | Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do
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| humane view--of what Elijah experienced.
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| | not know what we ought to pray for, but
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| Elijah's fire on Carmel became a more
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| | the Spirit himself intercedes for us with
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| gentle breeze on Mount Horeb and he
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| | groans that words cannot express" (Romans
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| learned treasured lessons there, alone
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| | 8:26).It is after we are strengthened
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| and friendless (so he thought) that he
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| | that He deals with the immediate problem:
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| could not learn in the heat of the
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| | "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1
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| so-called victory over the false prophets
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| | Kings 19:9b); "But the Lord God called to
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| of Baal. Even Elijah had to learn that
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| | the man, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:9);
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| great lesson we all must learn: "Wait for
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| | "Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is
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| the Lord; be strong and take heart and
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| | your brother Abel?'" (Genesis 4:9). God
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| wait for the Lord" (Psalm
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| | asks us, too, why are we where we are and
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| 27:14).Sometimes, like Elijah, we have to
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| | what are we doing with our lives. We are
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| be put in a cave to get out of a "cave
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| | our brothers' and sisters' keepers, and
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| mood," as one author calls it. "There he
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| | this means being responsible and acting
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| went into a cave and spent the night" (1
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| | responsibly: both a willing and a
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| Kings 19:9). Elijah was shut into his
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| | doing.Elijah ran away from his
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| littleness so he might understand the
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| | responsibilities. Adam and Eve ran away
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| largeness that God was about to show him.
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| | from responsibility for their actions.
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| God was processing Elijah for a greater
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| | Elijah's circumstances did not add up to
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| work. "He [God] brought me into a
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| | reasons to run away and neither do ours,
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| spacious place" (Psalm 18:19a).There is a
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| | much as we long to do so at times. "I can
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| dichotomy here with Elijah: he fled to
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| | do everything through him who gives me
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| save his life and then asks that it be
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| | strength" (Philippians 4:13).Only God
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| taken away. We are all dichotomous leaves
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| | knows our quiet and pervasive influence
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| waving with the winds of what we perceive
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| | in the lives of those with whom we
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| to be misfortune when it might be the
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| | endure, and that is what it is at times
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| breath of the Lord trying to bring
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| | in our lives. If we are not where God
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| breadth to our life. It was so with
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| | wants us to be, then God calls us by name
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| Elijah as he swayed with the strong
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| | and lets us know through that still,
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| squall of Jezebel's threats. Moses, too,
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| | small and effective voice of conscience:
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| struck for God's cause but not in God's
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| | silent because no sound is audible ("He
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| way: "One day [Moses] watched [his own
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| | will not shout or cry out, or raise his
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| people] at their hard labor. He saw an
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| | voice in the streets" Isaiah 42:2); small
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| Egyptian beating a Hebrew...He killed the
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| | because it is simple and not portentous;
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| Egyptian..." (Exodus 2:11,12). God sent
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| | effective because it is God who speaks:
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| Moses into the desert to prepare his
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| | it is the Divine Whisper of Mind to mind.
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| heart and body and mind for the more
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| |
|
