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"Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done .... Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not [kill you] by this time tomorrow.; Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life .... But [Elijah] went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, 'It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.' And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, 'Arise and eat.' And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, 'Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.' And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God." (1 Kings 19:1a, 2-3a, 4-8 ESV)
You probably remember the story. The people of Israel had turned away from God to serve false gods, so the Lord sent Elijah to confront them. On that day, Elijah built an altar in front of everybody to the true God, and the idol worshippers built their own altar. And then everyone waited to see which god would prove he was the real God by sending down fire from heaven to burn up the sacrifice.
Of course the Lord sent fire, and for a little while, it looked like everyone was going to turn back to the Lord. But now it's the day after, and the queen is threatening Elijah's life. It's like nothing has changed at all. And Elijah wishes he were dead.
It comforts me to see how gentle and patient God is with Elijah. He doesn't argue with him. He doesn't say, "Have you already forgotten the great miracle I did?" No, He sends him food. He gives him a chance to sleep and then more food to eat. He says nothing to him at all except to meet his needs.
Faced with this gentle, quiet kindness, Elijah comes back to life, just a bit. He decides to go to the mountain of Horeb, where the people of Israel met God long ago. Elijah will meet God there, too, and God will bring him back from the brink of despair.
God still shows us this same love and gentleness when we are at the end of our ropes—when we can't think what to do, because we are exhausted and sad and afraid. God comes to us and takes care of us. He knows we can't do anything for ourselves. That's why He came to us to be our Savior.
If you are at the end of your rope right now, Jesus is waiting for you. He will care for you with the same kindness He has always had. He loves you—enough to give up His life for you, enough to rise from the dead and go on caring for you forever. Let Him care for you.
We Pray: Lord, You see my situation. Please help me. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on August 6, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights
Reflection Questions:
1. Why doesn't God say much to Elijah at this point?
2. Have you ever been in a situation when words would do more harm than good?
3. When have you seen God's quiet, undemanding care for you?
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