Hello everyone,
My name is Aliny Campos, and I am part of the young adults team here at !Audacious Church. As part of our devotions, we are looking at significant characters in the Bible, and I’d encourage you to go back and catch up on older devotions.
Today, I want to share a bit about my favourite Bible character, Elijah. From a very young age, Elijah has inspired me. His boldness in his requests from God and his unwavering obedience, even when afraid, have always resonated with me.
Before we read today’s passage, let’s look at all the things Elijah had done up to that point:
He spent a strenuous day on top of Mount Carmel;
He descended the mountain and had all 450 prophets of Baal killed;
He advised King Ahab to take care of himself, to eat and drink;
He climbed back up Mt. Carmel to pray for rain, even though he had already asked God for it;
He persistently went from looking for signs of rain, to fervently praying for it. Finally, on the seventh try, he saw a tiny cloud;
He warned Ahab to head home as a big storm was coming;
A heavy rainstorm began;
Elijah ran all the way home, outrunning Ahab’s chariot;
When King Ahab told his wife, Jezebel, what had happened, she became furious and vowed to kill Elijah.
With all that in mind, this is what it says in:
1 Kings 19:1-8 (NLT): ‘When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, travelling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.’
The famous Snickers tagline, “You’re not you when you’re hungry,” often rings true in my life. This becomes especially apparent when I’m both hungry and tired. I start acting out of character, and my patience wears thin. It’s usually during those busy days or weeks when rest and proper nourishment fall quite far down the priority line.
Elijah was utterly exhausted. Despite doing everything he believed God had asked of him, he still faced immense hardships and had reached his breaking point.
How often in our lives do we feel like we’ve done everything God has asked of us, only to end up feeling drained and ready to give up? Elijah even compared himself to his ancestors, feeling inadequate. How many times do we fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others?
Elijah’s actions and words in this passage were out of character for him; a sign that he was not himself because he was hungry and tired.
Elijah, then, found a tree in the wilderness and took a nap. God provided him with food, he ate, slept again, and then ate a second time.
I believe this mirrors our walk with God. We need to come to Him and find rest. In Matthew 11:28 (NLT), Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” We don’t need to find a tree like Elijah did; we simply need to come to God. He is the refreshment our souls need, the place of refuge that calms our anxious minds.
God’s Word is our sustenance. When Elijah ate, it reminds us to nourish ourselves with the Word. When Jesus was in the wilderness and the devil tempted Him, He responded in Matthew 4:4 with, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.’”
I encourage you, today, to remember that you are not yourself when you’re hungry and tired. However, you ARE your truest self when you rest in the Father and feed on His Word. Resting in God and feeding our spirits should be the number one priority in our busy schedules, as it sets the tone for our day.
Take time today to read God’s Word and spend time in His presence, and when you’ve done that, read a little more, so that – just like Elijah – you may have the strength to carry on.
God bless,
Aliny Campos.
