24th January 2010 - Giving up?

I alone am left; and they seek to take my life. —1 Kings 19:10

Have you ever felt like giving up? Elijah did. The Lord had just used him to show the nation of Israel that the Lord is God (1 Kings 18). Yet, the threats of Queen Jezebel so alarmed him that he ran to Beersheba, 100 miles south (19:3). Then he walked another 150 miles south to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Twice God asked Elijah what he was doing there (vv.9,13). Both times he answered with identical words—“I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (vv.10,14). He had become so preoccupied with his own fears that he had forgotten what God had done through him at Mount Carmel. Despite his great victory, Elijah plunged into the depths of discouragement. How easy it is for us to do the same.

God did not accept Elijah’s notice that he was quitting. Instead, He commissioned his tired servant to handle three major tasks (vv.15-17). And by the way, Elijah was wrong when he said he was the only faithful one left. God had 7,000 others who had not bowed to Baal (v.18).

Perhaps, like Elijah, you are despairing at the circumstances in your life. Let God speak to you (v.12). Instead of allowing you to quit, He will show you what you can do through His strength. — C. P. Hia

Our strength and hope is in the Lord—
We rest secure in His sure Word;
And though we’re tempted to despair
We know we’re kept within His care. —D. De Haan

When you’re working for Jesus, it’s always too soon to quit.

Reflections:

Instead of just reading 1 King 19: 11-18, I read 1 King 18 and 19 to try to know more about what happened. (I think there was more that happened in previous chapters, but I don't really have time to read them now.) If I were to read these 2 chapters last time (maybe even not long ago), I would have thought that it's a bit weird, for Elijah who had such a huge faith in God that he even dared to challenge Baal's followers, which consisted of a large crowd when God asked him to. To me, the amazing thing was that, what he was about to do was solely dependent on FAITH (believing in something that we can't see, as shared by SW on Friday's cell). Yet, he did it so boldly and firmly, almost as if he was playing a game (as in he put everything into it, even when it means that he might be stoned to death or something if the fire didn't lit up, or if Baal's prophets' fire lit up instead, as if there's nothing he was afraid to lose. Well, maybe not a very good illustration, but that was what I could think of ><)

However, when I read Chapter 18, seeing how Elijah did God's work without doubting, I wouldn't have thought of what is going to happen next in Chapter 19. The 2 chapters showed 2 contrasting sides of Elijah. He was overwhelmed by his fears in Chapter 19 that he flee to another place. (But he still trusted God by continuing his journey. He didn't give up when God sent an angel to wake him up in the wilderness and asked him to eat so that he had strength to continue the journey. I think, to him what happened at that point was an encouragement to him, and that God had gave him confidence that He still cares for him.

As mentioned, if I were to read these 2 chapters last time, I wouldn't have understand the conflicting behaviours of Elijah. But now that I read them, I thought, how true it was, that men can lose faith "suddenly", without much explanation, even when God performed miracles (maybe they are miracles to that person, even if not to others) in the person life just a short while ago; and that is because we are preoccupied by FEAR, all kinds of fear.

Also, at times of difficulties, we often feel that we are all alone (19:10, 14), but in fact there are lot of people in the same situation, scattered all around the world. Psalm 23:4 says that:

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 your staff,
they comfort me.

We know that, but we forget all about it when we face hardships. Or perhaps, we start to doubt this statement, and no longer believe that God can help, and will help. Hence, things start to fall apart.

However, what amazes me even MORE is that, as things start to fall apart and we seem to be wasting away bit by bit, they don't seem to last too long. It often does seem long, especially when we're in the situation, but when we then turn and look back, actually it wasn't that long after all. Before worse things can happen, it's like God carried us away from the path which leads to worse things (which we probably will follow if we totally turn away from Him) and brought us back to another path where things were put right, and there are more plans ahead, more tasks which God had preprepared for us.

I looked around, and it wasn't hard for me to once again realise how blessed I am.

yee kuan