Wednesday, August 18
Elijah is too tired to run anymore. And so, he prays again. This prayer is very different from the faith-filled prayer that God answered on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36, 37) in front of the priests and prophets of Baal, the members of the court, and the common people. This is a simple, short prayer of desperation.
In 1 Kings 19:4, Elijah states that he is no better than his fathers. What was he talking about?
When Elijah finally is still, guilt comes crushing in on him. He realizes that his quick exit has hijacked what could have been a great opportunity for reformation in Israel. He realizes that he has disappointed those who needed him. And he’s powerless to do anything about it. Thus, in a painful moment of self-reflection, knowing full well the history of his people, he sees himself for what he really is.
That can be a painful revelation for anyone of us, can’t it — that is, seeing ourselves for what we really are? How grateful we should be for the promise that, sinful as our lives have been, in Christ God will see us as He sees Jesus. What more hope can we have than that, by faith, we can claim for ourselves the righteousness of Christ? (See Philippians 3:9.)
Nevertheless, depression has a way of sucking us into a dark whirlpool of self-loathing. And sometimes we begin to think that death is the only way out.
This seems to be the case for Elijah. It’s all too much for him. He says, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.“ (1 Kings 19:4).
The good news is that the great Healer doesn’t condemn Elijah. God understands better than we do what we are up against as we fight depression.
“We may have no remarkable evidence at the time that the face of our Redeemer is bending over us in compassion and love, but this is even so. We may not feel His visible touch, but His hand is upon us in love and pitying tenderness.” Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 97
God knows and understands that “the journey is too great” (1 Kings 19:7) for us, but sometimes He has to wait until we stop running. Then He can intervene.
Sometimes people who are drowning become so confused that they will fight a lifeguard off. The lifeguard then has to back off and wait to perform a rescue until the victim actually becomes unconscious.
What hopes and comfort can you find from the following texts: Psalms 34:18, Matthew 5:1-3, Psalms 73:26, Isaiah 53:4-6?
Thursday, August 19
God knows that all the running has made Elijah tired. God knows that more than being physically tired, Elijah is emotionally tired and carrying a tremendous load of guilt. Like Jesus would do for the paralytic so many years later, God wipes the slate clean and provides rest for Elijah. Finally, he can really sleep and be refreshed.
We would expect this to be the end of the story, but it isn’t. God’s rest is not a one-time event. Entering into God’s rest has to do with healing — with slowly unlearning negative thought patterns and destructive habits. God does not rush healing.
Read 1 Kings 19:5-8. Where is Elijah going now, and why?
After rest, Elijah is running again. But this time God reorients his running. God understands that life in this sinful world can and will cause depression. He understands our impulse to run, but He wants to redirect our running. Instead of all the self-destructive coping mechanisms we try, He wants us to run to Him. And once we start running to Him, He wants to teach us to listen for the “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12) that will give us rest.
Elijah had no energy to lift himself up and make the journey to meet God. God provides the energy for the meeting, and God promises a better tomorrow.
As Elijah lay under his broom tree and wished to die, he believed that his best days were over.
God knew that better days lay ahead for Elijah. Healing would come for the prophet as he would learn to regulate his life by God’s rhythms and accept His rest. There were still kings to be anointed and a successor to be chosen. God already knew about Elisha, who would become as close as a son to Elijah. God knew that in faith Elijah would again call down fire from heaven (2 Kings 1:10). For Elijah, there would be no desperate death under a broom tree but rather a fiery chariot ride to heavenly rest.
What can we learn from the story of Elijah about why, no matter how bad we feel, in God’s strength we must still seek not to give up?
