Fri 31st July – 1 Kings 19:4-6

Fri 31^st July  –  Read 1 Kings 19:4-6

V4:  Fleeing alone into the desert, it seems that all Elijah wants is, as we might say, to curl up and die, pleading with God to take his life. This is not the positive longing of faith expressed by Paul in Philippians 1:23 – this is sheer despair. He feels a failure, his life and ministry have achieved nothing – he is no better than his ancestors. To his eyes, nothing has really changed after Carmel, Jezebel still exercises her cruel power, he wants to give up. Do we ever feel like this?

V5-6:  But God begins to deal with his overwrought servant. As he sleeps the sleep of sheer exhaustion, we read “an angel touched him”, telling him to eat, to sustain himself – and there beside him is a basic meal for his immediate physical need. How wise and caring God is for His people in need – often our physical state needs to be dealt with before our spiritual condition can be.