We have seen the hatred of Jezebel against Elijah the prophet of the Lord; now we see the weakness of this dear man of God. How much we need a constant looking to the Lord, for we can never continue in the path of faith in the strength of yesterday’s victories. When God is manifesting His power in some remarkable way, there is a danger of being in haste, delighted to be identified with such a testimony, though our own individual faith may not be up to it. If this is the case, and it is all too often, God allows that which manifests our true state of soul, for He must have reality. Our service must flow from communion with the Lord, for it cannot continue unless it does. Outwardly all may seem well, for we naturally like to see power displayed, yet when the power of God arouses the enmity of the world, the flesh soon breaks down under such a test. This is what we see in Elijah, and no doubt we have all seen it in ourselves too. We naturally shrink from the world’s frown, and indeed can only endure it as we are walking close to our rejected Lord, hearing His still small voice.
Elijah therefore fled from Jezebel, and leaving his servant behind went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He who had just slain four hundred and fifty of the prophets of Baal, now flees from a woman! How weak we are when we lose sight of the Lord! Furthermore we do not realize our weakness at such times, but blame others and justify ourselves. We would fain escape the shame of having our true state manifested, for what is often called “inferiority complex” is really only another form of pride. And so here, Elijah requested the Lord to take away his life, for he said, “I am not better than my fathers,”
When laboring in the energy of the flesh, we are always very alert to the failures of others, and, if we do not say it openly, secretly feel we are better than they. If we are walking with the. Lord and serving in communion with Him, we know our own weakness and are slow to condemn others. Then, and I only then, are we able in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than ourselves. (Phil. 2:33Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (Philippians 2:3).).
But Elijah could not do this. When he got into the presence of the Lord in his unhappy state of soul, instead of judging himself, he wanted to die. And so with us; if we have been hard on the failures of others, we shrink from the discovery of self, and would do anhing to hide our own wretchedness. How proud are our natural hearts, and how slow to enter into the patience and grace of God toward His people, when We have not realized the need of it ouelves.
In spite of all this, the Lord was gracious toward His fainting servant. He provided for his weakness, waking Elijah by the hand of an angel, as he slept under a juniper tree. There he found a cake ready for him to eat and a cruse of water for him to drink, and after Elijah had eaten and drunken, he lay down again. The angel then awakened him the second time telling him to eat and drink, because the journey was too great for him. Elijah did so, and then went forty days in the strength of that meat till he came to mount Horeb. The Lord had not sent him there, but He saw the need of His failing servant, and provided for him. How gracious He is, even sustaining us when our failing hearts are running away from the path of His will, because we find it too difficult. Truly our God is the God of all grace!
ML 06/10/1956