Elijah

1 Kings 19:12-13

1 Kings 19:3-4

God did the impossible in one of the greatest miracles in the Old Testament.  Yet in the very next chapter we read this: ‘Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He cam to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors’ (1 Kings 19:3-4). Elijah feel asleep. While he was sleeping God sent two angels. When Elijah awoke there was fresh bread baked one hot coals and a jar of water. ‘Get up and eat,’ an angel told him. Elijah slept again, was woken and was given more food and drink. This second time the angel said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ A mistake we often make when struggling to connect with God is that we try to be more spiritual than he is. If you find yourself in a place where God seems distant, worship is difficult, the problem may not be that you are a spiritual weakling who needs to try harder. Another possibility is that you are running on empty. Admitting this can be surprisingly hard. So you feel distant from God? You aren’t praying much? Perhaps you are lacking in self-control or can’t seem to read your Bible? Elijah teaches us it may just be that you’ve been running flat out for a long time. Too often we separate the physical and emotional from the spiritual. God doesn’t do this. Elijah’s naps and snacks aren’t an isolated incident in the Bible.  Throughout Scripture people are commanded to live lives of regular rest.]]>