PITY PARTY
First of five devotions in Intimate Whisper series
1 Kings 16:28-32, 19:1-13
1 Kings 19:3-5: “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.”
The
prophet Elijah is a Biblical giant. But
Elijah was also flawed. His strength was
understanding that God is a person with whom he could relate. The opening Scripture shows Elijah wanting to
die. See the lesson linked below for
Elijah leading for God’s great victory over the idol Baal. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob proved
sovereign.
Israel’s
King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, led him and Israel to idol worship of her god Baal—whose
prophets Elijah slaughtered in 1 Kings 18:40. Incensed Jezebel threatened Elijah in 1 Kings
19:20, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by tomorrow I do
not make our life like one of them.”
Elijah
ran away.
His
forty day-and-night-journey ended at Mount Horeb (alternate name for Mount Sinai). There, he spent the night in a cave. God found Elijah there, and inquired, “What
are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings
19:8-9). The point was that God didn’t
send Elijah to Mount Sinai. Elijah went
there on his own misguided reasoning.
The
reference to Moses’ 40-day stay on Sinai when the Israelites broke God’s Sinai
covenant—having constructed and worshipped a golden calf during Moses’ extended
absence (Exodus 43:11-13)—is intended.
Elijah
was angry because the Israelites
broke God’s covenant by worshipping Baal…pouted
that he was fruitless in interceding for the Israelites covenant-breaking,
where Moses succeeded…and whined
that he was the only one of God’s prophets left alive (1 Kings 18:22). In the opening Scripture, Elijah says that he
“is no better than his ancestors.” He admits
feeling ineffective compared to Moses’ successful interceding for the
Israelites.
Take Home Nugget
Have you ever been where Elijah is—scared,
angry, pouting, whining? Believer’s
faith enables us to pile up on God’s lap and receive comfort when life is
tough. This short series intends to show
God’s mercy and compassion during trying times.
1 Kings 19:11a,b:
“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the
Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’”
Once there, “a powerful wind tore the mountain apart, and shattered the
rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.”
Where are You, Lord?
J.D. Griffith
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