You are not alone

Have you ever been so tired that you just wanted to die? Recently I've had a number of days when exhaustion has taken its toll on me. On Aug. 19 I was experiencing extreme exhaustion and opened my Bible to find out what God's word says about being weary.

In reading 1 Kings 19:1-19 I found out that Elijah the prophet experienced exhaustion. He had just slain hundreds of prophets of Baal and proven the power and might of God to the people of Israel. When Jezebel heard what he had done, she vowed to kill him.

Here was a man of God, whose faith was unwavering in the face of danger - yet he began running for his life at her threat. Why? He was exhausted from his ministry. 

After going a day's journey into the desert alone he sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die.

"I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." He looked around and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 1 Kings 19:4-6

How often do we feel like Elijah? As Christians, it gets tiresome battling the demons of this world day after day. Some days we fight until we have no strength left. Maybe we're not physically killing the prophets of Baal, but there are forces of evil all around us that we have to contend with on a daily basis. 

Notice how Elijah spoke with the Lord. He was honest with Him and confessed his hopelessness in the situation. I guess to him it felt like all his hard work had been for nothing. 

I've felt that way at times. There have been many days when I tried my very best to be a reflection of Christ but it seemed as though I failed miserably. 

What did God do for Elijah when he cried out in frustration? He sent an angel to strengthen his physical body with food, but that wasn't all the Lord did for his servant Elijah.

The angel came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:10

When we're tired and ready to throw in the towel, we can look at Elijah as our mentor. Just eating the food offered to him gave him the strength to travel for 40 days and 40 nights. His journey wasn't over once he was strengthened, it was only beginning. As we read the word of God and continue on our journey with God we may find ourselves in a place near to the heart of God, but we may not get to rest until we arrive there. 

Elijah told the Lord that he had been zealous for God. He lamented that the Israelites had rejected God's covenant, broken down God's altars and put God's prophets to death.

"I'm the only one left and now they are trying to kill me, too," said Elijah.

Do you ever feel like you're the only one being obedient to God? Does it ever seem to you that you're facing life's problems alone? Take heart ...God hears your cries for help, He knows what you need to regain your strength and if He has to, He'll send an angel to minister to your needs.

This next passage is one of my favorites, I hope you'll hear the voice of God like Elijah did as you read this.

The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:11-13

Elijah repeated his lament from earlier and was reminded by God that there were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed down to Baal. He was not alone. Not only was he not alone, but God was sending him to meet Elisha, who had been chosen by God to become his right-hand man. 

God knew that Elijah was disheartened, He knew that Elijah's faith was strong, but He also knew that Elijah was human and needed encouragement and someone to come along side him as a friend. God was not through with Elijah, even though Elijah thought he'd done all he could. 

As long as we are on this earth, there is work we can do for the Lord. When we feel exhausted, we can ask for His help. Just as God helped Elijah prepare for future ministry, He'll help us with our ministries. 

Listen for the gentle whisper and go forward in God's care and His grace. 

Fear the Lord

We live in fearful times. With an uncertain economic future, government upheavals, job losses, health issues and lack of medical care, it seems that each day there is more to be concerned about.

I opened my Bible to the concordance to find out what God's Word says about fear and I was surprised at what I discovered.

There are numerous references to the fact that we should fear God. After Moses was given the 10 commandments, God gave him warnings about the importance of keeping His commands. 

Moses told the people, "Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name." Deuteronomy 6:13

Moses repeated that advice again in Deuteronomy 10:12-13. "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good."

Before Moses' death, he left the people with these words. "Assemble the people - men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns - so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 31:12

A fear of the God was needed to serve Him and from what Moses said, it wasn't something that was naturally ingrained in people, but something that was learned. The people needed to first hear the law or commandments and then they would learn to fear God.

As I think about those who are evil and shun God, I realize that most of them either have never heard God's commands or have made a conscious effort to defy those commands. Evil people have no fear of God, some do not believe that He exists and others don't believe that He is capable of harming them.

The word states that a fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it adds length to life, it is the fountain of life, it teaches wisdom, it avoids evil, it leads to life, and it prompts us to hate evil.

In a nutshell, having a healthy fear of God is a wonderful thing. Isaiah 11:2-3 had this to say about the root of Jesse (which was a prophecy about the coming Messiah). "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord."

Yes, Jesus delighted in the fear of the Lord. He knew just how powerful, almighty, righteous and just the God of heaven and earth really is. He knew that to refuse to be obedient to God would be futile. 

God had a purpose and a plan for his life and it was necessary for the good of all mankind. 

Jesus spoke about this fear to a crowd of thousands in Luke's gospel. 

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." Luke 12:4-5

I believe that if we have a healthy fear of God, our own fears will dissipate because our trust is in Him. 

Hear these words of comfort from the scriptures about our earthly fears:

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 91:5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. (This verse tells us that day or night, through terror, disease and famine - we, who have put our trust in the Lord, have nothing to fear).

God's word says that the fear of man is a snare, but that God is with us and He will deliver us from all our fears. 

When we give our hearts to God, we become His precious children and He will take care of us - it's as simple as that. Give your fears to God and let Him vindicate you.

I leave you with these words from 1 John 4:18. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

God has so much love for you and I and He will drive away the fears because of that great love!