Walking In Spirit

Day 5 – 1 Kings 19:1-18

Every since I was a child, I have read of all these things that God has done in our lives. Such a great cloud of witnesses surround me. They are in the inspired words of men about our God. They are just as evident in the lives of men and women that we know.

Elijah in the chapter previously had trusted God and not only called down fire on the sacrificial altar, but had also trusted that God would send rain to end the drought. All these things were witnessed by the false prophets (who later didn’t fare well) and also by Ahab.

Now granted, I have never called fire down on the altar to consume a sacrifice in front of devil worshippers, but you would think Elijah would be spiritually “on top of the world” about right now. Instead his experience is short lived and he gets depressed. Maybe it was because a woman says she is going to have him killed but I rather think it was because Ahab had given the Glory of all the events to Elijah instead of God. Either way, when Elijah heard about it, he ran for his life and even prayed that God would take his life.

When we cross the highest mountains we must at some point pass through the valley below. Some journeys require supernatural strength and the Lord will provide the nourishment, but we have to eat.

From inside the mountain of Horeb, Elijah was still depressed and perhaps a little angry. When God asked him why he was there, he responded that he alone was still a follower of God and everyone else was against him.

I’ve been in that place before. I’ve been through a spiritual Samaria where nobody wants to give God glory and just like James and John I wished that God would call down fire them; how naïve to think that you alone are within the will of God.

That’s what God was telling Elijah. “See the wind tearing the mountain apart Elijah?” “Do you feel my power throughout all the Earth in this earthquake?” “See this fire I sent upon the mountain to consume everything?” God is telling him that nothing can stay his hand if that is way he chooses to work in the world.

And then….. There is that small still voice. “Listen for me Elijah.” “This is the way, walk in it” “Stay on the path, walk in the way.” God is here telling Elijah to quit worrying what the world is telling him. Jezebel has no power over God. Did Elijah so easily forget the strength of the Lord’s arm? No mortal man could so much as lay a hand on Elijah unless God had allowed it. Listen for the Lord Elijah.

Apparently Elijah got the point eventually. When he had learned the lesson, God revealed some things to Elijah. God had providentially set aside seven thousand in Israel. A remnant was held back. There always will be.

When things get tough, I too must sit back and remember that have believed in Christ. Just like the smoke from the sacrifice on the altar that Elijah has built, I have seen Jesus rise to the clouds and sit at the right hand of God. I have seen the drought come and go. I will trust in his providence and give him the glory. God give me strength.