In the Depths of Despair

There is so much sadness in this world. Every day we hear of atrocities against children, abductions of innocent people, families being targeted and killed... death, disease, despair. I live surrounded by good things, a haven hedged by love and protection. And I can't even begin to fathom what it would be like to live in fear and sadness. I pray that if one day I have to be raked through those coals, that my God will keep my heart unscathed. My soul felt heavy this morning from a couple of situations in friends’ lives, and I sought solace in the Word. I started reading about the kings and rulers during the times of the Israel and Judah conflict, way back during the prophet Elijah's time (1 Kings 15 & 16, 2 Chronicles 13). I started in the book of Chronicles and then went back to reference the same characters in 1 Kings. That's when I began reading about Elijah in chapters 17 through 19.

I knew the stories by heart, but this time I was captivated by the smaller details which I had probably read too quickly through before. Elijah had just experienced victory over the priests of Baal, and rain was now pounding hard on the parched, scorched earth as undeniable evidence that Jehovah reigns supreme over all. An evil woman makes a threat that sends Elijah fleeing to the wilderness, tail between his legs, defeated, after mightily demonstrating God's power just a few hours before. What hope is there for me, when this powerful man of God feels disappointment and discouragement, even after experiencing firsthand a miracle of great proportions? Come on! He had been fed by ravens, given bread daily by a poor widow who used flour and oil that never ran out, witnessed the resurrection of a child after prayer and supplication. How could this man of God run so fast and hard from a mere woman who worshipped gods of stone? And yet there, in the depths of his despair, God sent an angel to nourish Elijah, to prepare him for a journey where he could hear the still, small voice of the Lord. This the part where I was most fascinated. The angel brought him bread and a jug of water. Twice. That was a total two small loaves of bread and two jugs of water. The heavenly nourishment he received that day allowed him to travel almost 200 miles for 40 days through wilderness non-stop. Wow. I want some of that bread. During this dark moment of Elijah's life, God personally fed him and nourished him enough to withstand 40 days of trudging through the wilderness. And the thing is that God can do that today for us. I haven't felt despair like Elijah has, but I have faith that if I ever do, God will bring me bread that will sustain me and get me through my wilderness. The nourishment is not intravenous - there needs to be action on my part. But God has held up His end of the deal and brings me bread to feast upon. All I have to do is take, eat, and get up.