‘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 wilderness[…]”
1 Kings 19:1-4 NIV

When Elijah is running from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, he finds himself in a place where his life is in danger, he is at his lowest point, and there is a chance where all the work he’s put into the kingdom of God has gone down the drain.

We’ve all been there—our relationships are all failed. Our career or future looks bleak. And God feels further from us than we can even imagine.

‘[…]He came to a broom bush, 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.”
1 Kings 19:4 NIV

This great prophet, who was just watching God cast down fire from heaven, is asking to die.

It might seem discouraging—how can this man, who has done more than we might ever imagine, be longing for death? What does that mean for us?

But it’s quite the opposite. This passage reveals all of God’s character.

Look at the next verse:

Then he lay down under the bush 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 some 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[…]
1 Kings 19:5-8 NIV

At once, after this prayer of desperation, an angel arrives, brings food, and encourages Elijah to eat. It takes time for the prophet to regain his strength—proving that while a wise man, he is still just that: a man.

It brings me back to my posts, Taking Care Of Your Mental Health (You Matter Too!), Neighbor, Love Yourself, and Self-Love ≠ Selfish.

Sometimes what we need is to take care of ourselves—we all know that nobody makes good decisions on an empty stomach after running away from the king.

The verse where he says, “This journey is too much for you,” really goes to show that God doesn’t actually give his biggest battles to His strongest warriors. He gives us the journeys and battles that are meant for us, yes, but because we can learn or gain knowledge, or maybe because it’s what it takes for us to realize that we’ve drifted from the Lord. It’s not because we’re stronger or weaker than other people. It’s because God is teaching us things in every moment and experience.

Clearly, Elijah has had enough. And clearly, he cannot continue the journey without the Lord and His strength.

It’s amazing to see how much of God’s character is revealed in this passage of Scripture. In the chapter before, 1 Kings 18, we already see that all of God’s character can be summed up in the word: powerful.

He displays his power, might, and the faithfulness in which He is constantly answering our prayers.

In chapter 19, we see that another major one of God’s characteristics is protector.

Despite all odds—think about it: running away from the king himself?—Elijah finds himself safe in the middle of the desert in the presence of God. This is yet another beautiful example of the peace we find when in silence and solitude with the Lord.

Then in the next verse, it reveals that not only is the Lord a protector but He is also a provider.

He provides food, water, and a chance for rest for His servant. There was no rush to go into battle or to take advantage of this break so that he could prepare for what would come. The Lord showed Elijah that what he needed to do for his mind, body, and soul was rest and replenish.

When our souls are weary and burdened, the best course of action is time with God and time to eat and sleep, to recharge your physical and spiritual battery.

‘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. There he went into a cave and spent the night[.]
1 Kings 19:8-9 NIV

The Lord designed our bodies with the intention of treating us well—and with the hope that we would treat them well too. It’s a beautiful testimony to who He is and how He loves us.

And finally, something that I think is so important is remembering:

God’s character is not subjective to fit our human box or expectations of Him.

What does this mean?

In the following verses, we read about Elijah’s physical interaction with the Lord.

‘There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”[…] The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:9-13 NIV

In both this story and the story of the Israelites (Exodus 13:21-22), we see that the Lord appears in many forms of nature such as fire, wind, earthquakes, and smoke, but that is not who He is. It’s merely a visual because He is God—and He is too holy to cast our physical eyes upon.

‘Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Exodus 33:18-20 NIV

What a God we have to let His goodness pass in front of us.

Thanks for reading, have a great day, friends.

~Willow