Sunday 30th June
Read Psalm 63
If you don’t have a bible at home you can find the readings on a website such as www.biblegateway.com or an app such as YouVersion
Have you ever lived through a dry period in your life, when everything seemed flat and dull and you are missing the joy of life? It happens. In this Psalm David is in the desert of Judah, fleeing from and hiding from Saul who has murderous intentions towards him and David says to God, “I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you” (v1). He is missing the times when he was in Jerusalem and in the sanctuary of God’s presence where he saw the power and glory of God. He becomes emotional as he says, “your love is better than life” (v3) and he says that he will praise God as long as he lives (v4).
He knows he is in a difficult place and probably worries about things at night but he says “On my bed I remember you” because he knows that God is his help and says he will sing in the shadow of his wings (v7) When you are down, look up. Look up to the maker of heaven and earth and to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bear in mind that there is a Shepherd and a carer and commit your life to him.
READINGS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday 1 Kings 18:1-15
This chapter introduces us to Eljah’s second meeting with Ahab. Before that however we meet Obadiah, Ahab’s Palace Administrator, who was a devout believer and not one of the idolators spread across the country. He was not a secret believer but an active one for he saved a 100 prophets from Ahab’s murderous slaughter of them throughout the country. It is not an easy thing to be in a position of responsibility under a false and evil power. History has told of many believers who have showed such courage.
Because the drought was so severe, Ahab split the land between himself and Obadiah to search for the best land to sustain the cattle. When Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him with a message that scared him because he would have to be the bearer of hard news to Ahab and he wasn’t sure that Elijah would be around when Ahab came to see him. He pled with Elijah telling him that he could be killed. There are not many instances where our faithfulness to God puts us in that kind of danger but if the time ever came the courage of men like Obadiah will give us courage.
Tuesday 1 Kings 18:16-40
“Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” says Ahab when he meets Elijah, though Elijah replies with the truth that it is Ahab and his father’s house who have brought trouble on Israel because of their departure from the Lord and headlong plunge into idolatry.
Elijah sets up a contest which he invites Ahab to bring all the prophets of Baal and of Asherah Mount Carmel and there will be a contest before the people to see who is God. He challenges them not to dither between Jehovah and Baal, “if the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal, follow him” (v21). It wasn’t that the people had completely abandoned Jehovah but they tried to hold worship of Jehovah with other Gods. How many people in the world – and in Christian countries – try to hold a measure of faithfulness to God but also want to have other things in their lives as well. Jesus said, you cannot serve God and mammon either you will love the one and hate the other or vice versa.
On Mount Carmel a great altar was set up the prophets of Baal were to put two bulls on the alter and call for fire from heaven so as to prove that Baal was God and answered them. The story is full of drama before after nothing happening, Elijah takes the forefront and calls to Jehovah God to send the fire down and it happens. The prophets of Baal are executed, the people cry, “The Lord – He is God”, and Elijah says, “prepare for rain”. What a victory for the Man of God.
Ahab went of to eat and drink but notice what Elijah did – he went to the top of Carmel and prayed. Although Elijah had said – and surely believed – that rain was coming, he still prayed for it to happen. Even though we know things by faith, prayer is always important. Jesus told the disciples to pray and to pray again and again, people should pray and not faint (Luke 18:1). Elijah prayed for the rain that he felt sure would happen yet his servant kept coming back saying there was nothing to be seen until the seventh time when he said, “a cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea”.
Sometimes things may seem small answers to our prayers but we should not doubt. Zechariah says, ““Who dares despise the day of small things” (Zech 4:10). Elijah said to his servant to tell Ahab to get in his chariot (remember he was just feasting) and go before he is caught in the rain. The power of the Lord came on Elijah and he ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel which was a marathon’s journey away.
It was a great triumph and vindication of Elijah’s faith but his exuberance may come with a penalty as we shall see in the next chapter.
Thursday 1 Kings 19:1-9
Ahab’s wicked wife Jezebel, daughter of Eth-Baal, king of Sidon and promoter the worship of Baal in the kingdom of Israel was furious when Ahab came back and told her what had happened at o Carmel. She was determined to take fierce revenge on Elijah and threatened his death by ‘this time tomorrow’ (v2).
We would have thought that Elijah, God’s mighty prophet, after his magisterial victory at Mount Carmel wouldn’t have been at all perturbed but, lo and behold, we find him afraid and fleeing for his life (v3). Why? Well the first thing we need to say is that we can’t rely on great victories in the spiritual life to carry us through all eventualities that might come along, the second thing to note was his grand marathon run, full of exuberance I’m sure, but which would leave him weak and tired, and physical weakness can work against us in the spiritual life. After such a marvellous victory he succumbed to a depressive low, running for his life to Beersheba and collapsing under a broom tree. He cries out to God, “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep” (v 4-5).
Perhaps you have had an experience like that. Take heart in that someone like the great Elijah had too. How does God deal with him? He lets him sleep, then an angel wakens him and feeds him before he goes back to sleep again. An angel comes a second time and wakens him up and gives him more to eat and drink. Sometimes when we feel low and spiritually exhausted what we need is sleep and some food – repeated at times. God knows how to deal with our bodies as well as our souls and this is how he dealt with his servant. Remember this when you feel as low and depressed as Elijah did here.
Friday 1 Kings 19:7-14
There are two long journeys in Elijah’s life. The first was when he fled from Jezebel in Jezreel and went to Beersheba, a journey of over 100 miles and where he had his collapse telling God he had had enough. The second was an even longer one, more than twice that length, and travelling through a lot of desert wilderness in Sinai until he reached Horeb, traditionally the mountain where Moses had met with God and received the Ten Commandments. This was his destination as though saying “It started here and it will finish here”. He felt the covenanted plan of God through his saved people from Egypt had come to an end. Do you ever feel that about the Church sometimes? Is the Scottish Church finished?
God asked Elijah, “what are you doing here?” and he replied the same thing he had said in Jezreel but expands it by saying that the Israelites had rejected the covenant, torn down the altars – the places of worship– killed the prophets and that he was the only one left and his life was marked for death too”.
What happened next we probably knew, God told him to go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord because he was going to pass by. In other words, get ready for me. First there was a powerful wind, then an earthquake, then a fire but after each one the Lord was not in them. Finally a still small voice and when Elijah heard it he knew it was the Lord and hiding his face he went out the cave he was in ready to hear the message of God.
Sometimes, when we are quiet, God speaks. Let us always be prepared.
After saying for the third time his reply to God’s question (v14), God gives him directions for his future. He had to go to Damascus and anoint Hazael as King over Aram, then to Jehu and anoint him King over Israel, and finally to anoint Elisha as his successor. God says that these three will bring judgement on the people of Israel, one after the other but he tells Elijah that, contrary to Elijah’s feeling, he has kept seven thousand in Israel “whose knees have not bowed down to Baal or whose mouths have not kissed him” (v18).
That’s something to remember when we feel down about the things of God, feeling rather isolated and struggling. The Church is in God’s hands, not ours, and he is able to keep and manage his own sheep.
The final verses of the chapter tell of Elijah’s summoning of Elisha, son of Shaphat, as his successor by casting his cloak upon him, symbolic of casting his authority and power on him. The tension between family and divine call is seen here and Elijah recognises it however though this summons was true, Elisha wouldn’t take on the mantel of his mentor’s life until late seen in 2 Kings 2.
