Saturday, March 15, 2008

'Sleep' in God

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it 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.

The angel of the LORD 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 forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
~1 Kings 19:1-8

Like Elijah, I have gone through times of despair and hopeless situations when I am just unsure of what to do. I felt burnt out and had no more strength to carry on. Elijah actually made a request to God to take His life so that He might give up in His mission. But God had otherwise planned for him. He allowed Elijah to go through that situation of hopelessness and granted him rest. He put down and let go of everything and slept. God then restored him through the provision of meals and rest.

The second time Elijah awoke, he was strengthened and restored to carry on with the tasks that God intended him to do.

Remember the next time, you feel like what Elijah felt, all you need to do is simply put down and let go of everything and rest. Wait on God and He will restore and provide for you.

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