Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
November 5, 2022
Read 1 Kings 19:1-9
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, how he had killed all Baal’s prophets with the sword. 2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this message: “May the gods do whatever they want to me if by this time tomorrow I haven’t made your life like the life of one of them.” 3 Elijah was terrified. He got up and ran for his life. He arrived at Beer-sheba in Judah and left his assistant there. 4 He himself went farther on into the desert a day’s journey. He finally sat down under a solitary broom bush. He longed for his own death: “It’s more than enough, LORD! Take my life because I’m no better than my ancestors.” 5 He lay down and slept under the solitary broom bush. Then suddenly a messenger tapped him and said to him, “Get up! Eat something!” 6 Elijah opened his eyes and saw flatbread baked on glowing coals and a jar of water right by his head. He ate and drank, and then went back to sleep. 7 The LORD’s messenger returned a second time and tapped him. “Get up!” the messenger said. “Eat something, because you have a difficult road ahead of you.” 8 Elijah got up, ate and drank, and went refreshed by that food for forty days and nights until he arrived at Horeb, God’s mountain. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. The LORD’s word came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?”
Good Morning, Again, I say rejoice!
Elijah was God’s prophet in a land filled with worshippers of Baal and idolatry. It would have been easier for him to stop listening and proclaiming God’s Word. Elijah could have simply walked away, but he continued to share the message as he was called. In doing so, he was fulfilling God’s plan for his life, but his life was in constant danger as he spoke in opposition to the King’s decrees.
When he felt that all was lost after being threatened with losing his life, he ran away into the desert and asked God to take his life. Instead, God provided Elijah sustenance and Elijah ate and rested in peace. When God’s messenger awakened him and called him to follow, he did. For forty long days and nights, he followed until he reached Mt. Horeb. Only a true believer could endure such a journey through the wilderness. At any time, Elijah could have said, “this is crazy. I’m done!”, but Elijah persevered and followed as he was told.
Think about times in your own life when things were hard and you wanted to give up! I’m sure that we’ve each had one of those challenges that tested us. Sometimes we give up and other times we persevere. What drives us to continue when everything seems lost? Perhaps, it is the hope of what lies beyond the challenge that keeps us moving forward.
Think of preparing for some milestone: a race, a performance, a dissertation. As you train, practice, and study, you will have moments when you question why you are doing this. You might consider quitting or you may even walk away for a bit, but you decide that the struggle is worth it and you persevere.
Our faith journey is filled with struggles as well. God promises eternal life to those who claim Christ as their Lord and Savior. Sometimes we will be challenged for our beliefs and for our faith. Christ was willing to give his life for our salvation despite the pain and suffering that he would have to endure. Today’s pain is insignificant to tomorrow’s glory. As we struggle, we are strengthened, and most importantly God is always by our side to lead us along each step of our journey.
Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. You are our strength when we are weak. Help us continue even when it seems all is lost. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: I can persevere knowing that God is always with me.
Never Give Up! Pastor Liz
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