The Highs and the LowsSample

Elijah (The Lows)

Have you ever listened to that classic worship song “Days of Elijah''? It’s an ABSOLUTE BANGER - definitely give it a listen. The song is all about the prophets (people who delivered God’s word) and other figures who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus - we’re talking about Elijah, David, Moses, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.

Elijah was a man who lived during a challenging time in the people of Israel’s dark history. God made him a prophet to go out and tell his people and their Kings that they needed to turn away from their wickedness. Just as God had called people before and as he would do after. Elijah had seen some victories in his time. Most notably, his encounter with the prophets of Baal, where God moved and made himself known to be the one true God.

So you might assume that Elijah would be on top of the world right now; he had completed a task God had called him to. But, he was the opposite. After this, King Ahab told his wife Jezebel what had happened and vowed to have him killed. So Elijah, afraid for his life, runs to a place called Beersheba in Judah. While in this place, Elijah hits rock bottom and asks God to take his life, praying, “I’ve had enough.” He began to speak words of hate over himself, comparing himself to the sin of his ancestors, and slept with the hope of not waking up.

So we have Elijah in his lowest moment, and God sends an angel to care for his needs. The angel feeds him and gives him water. So often, in our darkest moments, we can assume God has left us and wants nothing to do with us. You might speak lies over yourself (like Elijah did), but the truth is God doesn’t leave us when life gets tough; he continues to meet our daily needs.

Questions

Q: When was the last time you reached a dark time? Did you remember God in that situation?

Q: When did you last thank God for helping you through a tough situation?

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord, that you are with me even when it looks like there's no way out of my situation. Thank you for seeing my mental struggles and being right there with me through them, providing for my daily needs. I pray that you fill me with a heart of gratitude so that I’d thank you daily for your hand on my life.

Amen