The Last Straw

“This is enough, O LORD!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

I Kings 19:4a

Have you ever been at your wits’ end and wanted to throw your hands in the air and give up? That is how Elijah felt. Elijah was doing good and getting rid of evil and falsity, but then he had to run for his life because Jezebel, the pagan wife of the King, heard what he had done to all the pagan prophets of Baal and wanted him dead. So, Elijah fled to Mount Horeb (remember? Mountains…!)

While on the way, Elijah wanted to give up and asked the Lord to take his life instead. The Queen was out to get him, and it seemed like the whole world was against him. Although he was the prophet of the Lord, he was being hunted down like a missing fugitive. Should this surprise us? Think about Jesus. He is the Son of God, and how did the people treat Him? And so, Elijah wanted to give up, but still He turned to the Lord and prayed instead of turning to other means. And what did God do? He heard him.

God encouraged Elijah and provided food and water from Him. He sent angels to minister to him. And we are told that “he was strengthened by that food.” Then Elijah walked 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God. Just as God gave to Elijah bread and cake, so too does He feed us. We are told although the Israelites ate of the manna, they died. But Jesus, who is the bread that came down from heaven, gives is Himself, the bread that will sustain us, the bread that feeds us into eternal life.

When we are at our wits’ end and when all seems hopeless, we must remember that the Lord comes to us and is with us. He will encourage us and console us. He will send angels and people into our lives to help us. He will provide for us. But we must make a decision. Will we be like Elijah who listened, ate the cake and drank the water, and walked to the mountain, encouraged by the Lord, or will we turn to our devices and leave God out of the situation? God wants to walk with us. Will we let Him?