“Someone we can identify with”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Sunday, August 11, 2024

1 Kings 19: 4-8 (Forward, p. 13) CEV p. 373

Elijah is a man after our own heart. After all, he is someone that we can all identify with. I’m sure that we have all had times when we have just worked ourselves to the bone, just worked and worked and worked with little reprieve or rest. And afterwards, we are simply depleted, worn out both physically and psychologically.

This is how Elijah felt in today’s account. To start with, he incurred the wrath of evil King Ahab by predicting a severe three drought, which meant that he had to flee for his life and hide out in foreign territory. Then, upon coming out from hiding, he challenged Ahab (and his wife Jezebel) to a contest. The nub of the contest was to prove whether their god or the Lord God of Israel was really lord of all by sending down fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice prepared in advance. The God of Israel came through ‘with flying colours’ with the result that not only were the gods of Ahab and Jezebel shamed but their prophets/ priests as well. Furthermore, Elijah ordered that these prophets/ priests, 850 in total, be killed. Nevertheless, it would be a gross understatement to say that Jezebel was not pleased. In fact, she placed a curse against her own life, saying that the gods should strike her down if she has not killed him in like manner before the day is out. No wonder, given Jezebel’s reputation for ruthlessness, Elijah was terrified and ran for his life.

No wonder, given all this, that he felt depleted, exhausted, depressed. He was at the end of his tether, at the end of his resources, and felt that he had failed terribly and totally. He saw no future for himself or his ministry and asked God to take his life. But God was not finished with him—or with us when we feel this way—and provided him with some much-needed resources. It is most instructive, and helpful to see what these might be.

Firstly, in today’s passage, we see that God provided food and rest, two things that far too often, in our hectic busyness, we neglect or make little time for. A break, a time away, can be most helpful at times like this.

Then, secondly, there was his encounter with God, firstly in word—here we see Elijah’s version of his ‘pity party’ (“I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away”) and then in an even more distinctive way. Not in a tremendous earth-splitting wind, an earthquake, or a fire, but in ‘a still small voice’ (‘a sound of sheer silence’, a ‘soft whisper’ or ‘hardly a sound’ is how other translations put it.)

Thirdly, there was God’s revelation that he was not the ‘lone ranger’, the only one left who was serving God. Indeed, God reveals that there are still 7,000 in Israel who have continued faithful to God.

And finally, God bestows on Elijah a successor, Elisha, who will continue in his task and replace him. His work will not come to an end but will be forwarded on by this new man.

How helpful I for one find this whole encounter to be, especially in those times when I feel depressed, depleted and alone. To know that God wants to provide times of rest and refreshment, encouragement and help, and a time alone with Him. What wonderful blessings all of these are to me, and to all of us. Thanks be to God.

Forward notes: “He [Elijah] asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep” (verses 4b-5a).

“Elijah is afraid. He flees for his life into the wilderness. Exhausted by God’s work, he lays down and falls asleep. In that time of rest, God sends an angel, and Elijah is refreshed enough to begin his long journey.

“In many ways, sleep is a mystery. One characteristic we share with other living creatures is the need to sleep. I am a big advocate of a good night’s rest. So many things that seem impossible in the dark can be transformed by the morning light. Sleep renews the spirit.

“Dreams are only possible during sleep, and we can develop a capacity to recall them. I doubt that heavenly messengers ended with the biblical prophets. I remember one exhausting phase of law school when I considered dropping out. My deceased father came to me in a dream and told me not to quit. I was refreshed enough to continue my long journey. Sleep is a gift. We should embrace it.”

Moving Forward: “Think of other figures in the Bible who were inspired to act by dreams. Have you ever had an inspirational dream?”

A concluding note: just a wee bit of ‘correction’ – nowhere in our account is there a mention of a dream. With the angel there was an actual physical touch, and actual food. And with the Lord Himself, there was a back-and-forth conversation when Elijah was fully awake. That said, we should never dismiss the very strong possibility that God can speak to us, whether by dreams, thoughts, Scripture readings, books or talks, sermons, circumstances and other people, or even, ‘heaven forbid’, an actual voice. Actually, it is my conviction that God wants to speak to us, to each and every one of us.