A lot of impressive characters fill the pages of Scripture. One of my favorites is Elijah. He just shows up suddenly. (1 Kings 17-19). He fearlessly confronts an evil king, tells him of consequences for his evil, then in the middle of a drought trusts in God’s provision. His life and actions point to our great God.
From our perspective, Elijah just suddenly appears out of nowhere. As obscure as his appearance seems to us, Elijah had prepared for his moment with King Ahab. The Bible doesn’t describe it for us, but in the time prior Elijah must have developed his relationship with God. He learned to know Him, to know His character. As a result, when God was ready to use him, Elijah was ready. He was prayed up.
Because He knew God, he trusted Him. So, when He sent him to speak to an evil king, he went. Then when God said he should go to a brook and ravens would feed him, he didn’t think it too outlandish, and he went. And when the brook dried up, he didn’t complain, he just went on to the next assignment. If God said a poor widow would be able to feed him in the midst of drought and famine, he accepted it.
During the drought the widow and Elijah saw God’s miraculous provision of oil and flour that didn’t run out. Elijah surely was not surprised–after all, he would have known how God took care of his ancestors in the wilderness. Moses recorded how their shoes and clothes didn’t wear out, and they had an ongoing supply of manna for forty years.
When the widow’s son died, she had a very human reaction. She thought her son died as punishment for her sin. Elijah on the other hand knew his God. At this time there were not yet any recorded incidents of God raising someone from the dead, but Elijah knew it was not beyond His power to do anything. So Elijah prayed–fervently. The boy lived.
When Elijah prayed for the drought to end, he only needed to see a cloud the size of a fist to know that God was about to send rain.
On Mt Carmel, he knew the false gods were powerless against the One True God, so he let the stakes be raised. He knew God was all-powerful.
Remarkable–yet the Bible tells us he is a man just like us. Really? As incredible as it seems, its true. Elijah, like us, was a frail human. He had lapses. Maybe it was a temporary lack of prayer, or maybe it was exhaustion, but when Jezebel sought to kill him he seemed to forget God and focus on his own weakness. He ran away scared. He hid in a cave. God sought him out to offer His assurance and comfort. When Elijah listened for the still small voice, he was encouraged.
The account of Elijah’s life is really not about how great Elijah was, or even how great his faith was. It’s about how great God is. He has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The better we know Him, the easier it is for us to trust Him. When Elijah looked to God and trusted Him, he saw Him do great things. When he focused on himself he was running for his life. When our confidence rests in who God is, we see Him do mighty things. And in our lapses, He is faithful to restore us. He strengthens the weak and powerless. He will accomplish His purposes.
You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.
Psalm 77:14
What great things have you seen God do? Please leave a comment below.
Blessings,
Phyllis
Image by Jörg Vieli from Pixabay
Copyright 2023 Phyllis l. Farringer
What a mighty God we serve!
Thank you!
Indeed, Debby. Thank you.
Thank you for the post, Phyllis. I appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you, Joni. Thanks for reading.
Phyllis, thank you for a message that helps increase our faith as we ponder that of Elijah. Well done. You refreshed my soul.
Thank you, Charlotte. I am so glad you found it encouraging.