#DailyDevotion Have You Ever Just Had Enough?

1Ki 19:9-14  There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  (10)  He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”  (11)  And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  (12)  And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.  (13)  And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  (14)  He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

“What are you doing here Elijah?” That’s a good question. Elijah had just finished his great battle with the pagan priest. You might remember it. Elijah had a bull for sacrifice and the pagan priest had the same. Whose deity would consume with fire the sacrifice would be proclaimed the true and living God. Well the pagan’s god did not answer and consume the sacrifice after hours of all sorts of antics. Elijah drowned his sacrifice in water just to show there was no fire hidden in it. The LORD God answered Elijah with fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. After that, Elijah called for the death of the priests as was called for in the Law of Moses and they were. However the queen of Israel didn’t care for her pagan priests getting killed so she called for Elijah’s head. And that brings us to Elijah hiding in a cave on Mt. Horeb.

So Elijah, what are you doing there?  Well this is what he answered, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”  Seriously? You are afraid Elijah? Didn’t the people support you when you showed them who the true God is? Your afraid of a little queen?

Well if anything, it just shows you how truly fallen human we are, even the great big saints of God. Some days we are sitting tight with the Lord and nothing can budge us and other days a cockroach sends us running. Elijah was just a man. He was a fallen human being who though he trusted in the Lord the straw that broke the camel’s back was laid upon him when the queen threatened his life.

Now the Lord called Elijah to stand before him. The Lord had him witness a great wind that broke stones, a great fire and an earthquake. The Lord was in none of these things. Why did the Lord do that? I think Elijah needed a good shake to regain his composure. The Lord can produce these great, terrifying things, but they are not the Lord. Does the Lord ever give you a good shaking up when you have lost all hope and are in despair? The Lord then spoke to him in a soft whisper, “What are you doing here Elijah?” Elijah gives the same response though this time I think in a different tone than before. He had regained his composure. He was ready to meet with the Lord. The Lord Jesus comes to us indeed in our hour of need, not with great big signs but with the voice of his servants, our fellow Christians to speak a word of comfort, hope and strength when we need it. Will we humbly receive His message through his servants to us when He speaks?

Heavenly Father, you spoke to your servant Elijah when he was in despair and feeling hopeless. Send to us your word through your servants and give us ears to hear and believe when we too are beyond our wit’s end so we may be strengthened and comforted in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.