A few weeks ago, here on Cozumel they had their annual Iron Man half-triathlon. Once a year men and women fly in from all over the world to test their strength and stamina on this beautiful tropical island. It starts with a 1.2-mile swim, then a 56-mile bike ride, then it’s all capped off with a leisurely half marathon, 13.1 miles. The average participant finishes it all in 6 hours. Now before you even ask, no I did not join these fine athletes. Unfortunately, I was busy, very busy. And even if I wasn’t busy, I would have found some busy stuff to do.
But what I noticed was the amazing level of preparation that the islanders did for the event. There were pallets of Gatorade and bottled water every ½ mile around almost half of the island. They had tents set up every so often if the participants needed rest or shelter from the sun. And we saw a host of paramedics, ready if the athletes needed medical attention. You see, as Iron men and women were completing the run, bike and swim, it looked as if they were doing all the work. But you see, without the tremendous support they had, the journey would be too much for them on their own.
There are lessons here in 1 Kings chapter 19 that resonate through my very soul. This chapter is one of my absolute favorites for not just one, but numerous reasons. The lessons within these words, sentences and paragraphs, speak volumes into multiple aspects of every life on this planet. That is, if those lives will pause, study it, read it, believe it, and apply it.
We pick back up with the prophet Elijah and He is riding high. God has really done some showing off in defeating the false god Baal in the (often times very humorous) mountain top altar showdown. After Baal pulling a no show for hours, God rains down fire that not only burns the offering but consumes the entire drenching wet stone altar as well. It’s gotta be pretty hot to burn solid rock to ash, right? I can only imagine Elijah’s heart as he witnessed this in front of the 950 priests of the now humiliated Baal. Wow, riding high is an understatement.
But just as Frank Sinatra sings, you can be riding high in April and shot down in May, Elijah sees his watershed moment get rained out quickly. Instead of having Jezebel and Ahab bow down to Almighty God, they instead make a heartfelt pledge to kill Elijah. And folks, if you know anything about Jezebel, she means it. Elijah gets weak in the knees and runs for his life. Now remember that he ran 17 miles along side Ahab’s chariot to get back to town after the mountaintop show God put on. Now as he fears for his life, he runs another 100 miles south to Beersheba. And after that we’re told he leaves his servant and goes another full day’s journey into the wilderness. Folks, when I say he ran for his life, he ran.
By now, Elijah is a wreck. He is scared, paranoid, wracked by exhaustion, starving, and more than likely completely dehydrated. He is alone, stressed, dismayed, and confused. He is nervous, discouraged, and depressed. You’ve heard about the perfect storm? Elijah was suffering from absolute physical exhaustion, intense mental and emotional stress and as a result, great spiritual doubt. It was so severe that this mighty prophet of God that had dried up the skies for three years and called down fire from Heaven, drops to his knees and prays to God to take his life. Elijah had let his gas gauge get to empty. He was beyond running on fumes, he was completely empty. Folks, we just like Elijah, can let ourselves get empty. And as we do, God has the same message for us that he had for Elijah. You can't do it on your own.
“And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.” 1 Kings 19:5-8
The journey is too great for you. Folks, this life is tough. You will have moments where you are riding so high that you think it can never end only to be, a moment later, lower than a well digger’s boots. So how can you can smooth out these violent and tumultuous fluctuations in life? Well, therein lies the crux of our lesson. You can’t. You can try, but you’ll fail. You can read countless self-help and motivational books, but it won’t help. You can watch a happy smiling TV preacher that only preaches happy upbeat sermons, it won’t help, the world doesn’t work that way. You can get up every morning and look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you’re a champion and that you can conquer all that comes your way, the world will still toss you around like a rag doll. You see, God’s point here is crystal clear, and it should be one that you cling to like a life preserver today. You can’t do this life on your own. The journey is too great for you. You need to rest, relax and recuperate in the strength of the Lord. For it is only in His strength, that we can enjoy joy, freedom, and peace within this world.
Notice the many ingredients that got Elijah in this condition. First, he was flat out physically expired. He had travelled around 135 miles in a very short time, all on foot. And in a mad rush for his life. Folks, I love to walk but I cannot imagine walking 135 miles in three days. Talk about the dogs barking…and he didn’t even have the latest Nikes! And take careful notice of the first thing that God tends to as He revives Elijah...sleep. Folks, sleep is God’s way of rejuvenating us daily. Are you getting good sleep? I’ve met people that brag about how little sleep they get. I can run on four hours a night, they say. No, you can’t. The last time I checked God made only one model of human body, and they all need sleep. Depending on your age, physicians recommend 8 hours a night. When you’re younger or older you require even more. Folks, don’t think you’re a superhero and don’t need sleep. Good rest is the very first thing that God did in order to refresh Elijah. Notice also that God fed him. Food is essential to fueling our bodies. How are you eating? Are you eating a reasonably well-balanced diet that gives you the fuel you need to be productive throughout your day? Good food and good sleep are essential to the human body. Being healthy in these makes you available to serve God as He calls you.
Notice also that God deal with Elijah’s emotional trauma. How? He listens. Yes, God listens to a human vent about his frustrations. He specifically asks Elijah an open-ended question so that Elijah can share his feelings. You see, Elijah in his great fear has isolated himself. He is all alone. And folks, we humans are social creatures, we were never meant to be alone. Are you an island today? Have you created a life where you are floating around all by yourself? You can’t afford to be. Reach out. God has put many people in your life, if you feel alone and isolated, the ball is in your court, grab the phone, jump in the car or meet in the middle, but don’t think that you can handle the journey alone.
But by far the biggest lesson comes as Elijah is throwing a pity party for one in his cave. And as He is lighting his candles, God sends Him a reminder that gives me chills every time I read it. You see, sometimes all we need is a reminder of who God is.
“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13
Folks, God is in the whispers of this life. God is in the still small voice that speaks into our hearts. God is not in the big flashy things of this world; it is in the still moments that you will find sweet fellowship with God. As Elijah was praying to God to take his very life, God revived him. He gave him rest, fed him, counseled with him and then refocused his spirit on future work. God ministered to every aspect of Elijah’s life. He knew that Elijah could not tend to all of these things himself, he knew the journey was too great for him.
Today, are you allowing God to minister to every aspect of your life or are you keeping him in a box, only allowing him into certain aspects of your life? The journey is too great for you, only through the power of God can you hope to flourish and thrive in this world. If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord, you’re walking blind in this world. You have no guide, no shepherd, no protector, no Savior. Admit that by trying it in your own, you have failed time after time. Admit that you can’t handle the journey on your own and you need the power of Jesus to save you, lead you, and minister to every aspect of your life. If you are ready to ask, He is ready to hear and respond to you, it’s a promise from God. (Romans 10:13)
I pray today, you will choose to let God lead your life. For only in Him, is the eternal journey possible.
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