Daily Devotional

April 14th 2024

SUNDAY

When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day’s journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: “Enough of this, God! Take my life—I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave!” Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush...A quiet voice asked, “So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?” –I Kings 19:3, 4, 13b (MSG)

Elijah’s faith got weak. He had just enjoyed a great victory for God (I Kings 18), but things changed quickly. After his victory over the prophets of Baal—fire consumed the altar of sacrifice; the false prophets were rounded up and killed; the heavens opened and the rains fell on Israel—Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, vowed to kill Elijah. Elijah ran away.
Elijah and his servant ran away 50 miles from Jerusalem to Beersheba. He left his servant there and went out another 25 miles into the desert, alone. And there, he fell underneath a broom tree and said to God, “I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave.”
Elijah laid down to sleep. But before he could rest, God’s angel directed him to go to Mount Horeb, 170 miles away. And once Elijah got to Horeb—40 days later—he went up the mountain and into a cave and camped there.
Horeb was also known as Mount Sinai, the mountain upon which Moses settled to receive God’s law. Horeb was the mountain where God revealed Himself to Moses in a bush that burned but was not consumed. In drawing Elijah to Horeb, God was ushering Elijah into His presence.
At Horeb, God appeared to Elijah and asked him: “What are you doing here? Why would you give up on Me now? After all that I’ve shown you, why would you doubt Me now? I fed you with bread and flesh when others were starving. I fed you with meal cakes at the widow’s house for those 3 years. I gave you victory at Mount Carmel. What are you doing here?”
If you’re at a place where your faith is weak, God is asking you the same question: “What are you doing here?”

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Jesus, the personification of Your reassurance that You are in charge in any situation. As we go today, let us rest in Your promise that You will not leave nor forsake us; that nothing is going to happen today that we cannot handle together. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN!

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