There is a great chapter in 1 Kings (19) that focuses on the great prophet Elijah. He had been a busy and obedient servant of God. He had destroyed the pagan prophets of Baal and stood time and again for God against his own countrymen. Everyone seems to be out to get him and this guy who God has used so powerfully goes and hides in the wilderness…and he prays to die. God takes care of his needs and then asks him “What are you doing here?” And he complains to God that the Israelites have broken every law and covenant they possibly could and killed all his fellow prophets…and he is alone. God doesn’t berate his faithful prophet for this imploding of hope and faith that he is experiencing. God quietly and gently speaks to him, tells him what the next tasks are and then announces to him that he is not alone. There are 7,000 others who have not bowed down to pagan gods but have remained faithful also to the God of the Bible. God knew that Elijah was weary and depressed and discouraged. Elijah had gone from one of the most spectacular victories in the whole Bible to wishing he would rather die than ever wake up again. Like Elijah there are going to be times and even seasons when you just get knocked down. And the reason you and Elijah do is because the work of following God is hard. God sent an angel to help out with physical necessities and tells him “The journey is too much for you.” Like Elijah, you will sometimes be in a place spiritually where power is not going to cut it. In this account, it is only when God enters the silence of his broken heart and bruised soul that Elijah gets up and is ready to go again. You and he don’t need to see power, but in those times you need to know that you are so loved by God. You need to know that you are held in the hands of God that are gentle and sensitive to hold the brokenness you feel and then to tenderly put them back together with what one person called “the glue of his grace”. If we try to do this following of Jesus on our own, the journey will be too much for us. So when you find yourself there, he will remind you that you are not alone. And that this is not too much for God’s Holy Spirit
working in your heart and soul. Slow down, take a deep breath and listen for the still, small voice that will remind you that God is there, God is working and God has a great tomorrow for you. No matter how you feel, don’t quit on God, because God is not going to quit on you. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
1 Kings 19:18 BSB Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Remember I'm praying for you,
PJ
working in your heart and soul. Slow down, take a deep breath and listen for the still, small voice that will remind you that God is there, God is working and God has a great tomorrow for you. No matter how you feel, don’t quit on God, because God is not going to quit on you. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
1 Kings 19:18 BSB Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Remember I'm praying for you,
PJ