And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” 1 Kings 19:3, 4.
Dear God, we know that You are our Shelter in the Time of Storm. We also know that you created us to live together in community and from time to time, lean on each other. Please show us how to strike the right balance. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
In the beginning God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone . . .” Whatever God says is always proven true. I am not making a case for marriage. I am talking about including other people in our lives. Having the right people in our lives can be an empowering experience. It can provide an opportunity for growth. It can also be a very comforting experience.
In this last devotional on the journey of the prophet Elijah, we will look at him running alone. Under normal circumstances this could have been overlooked. But given the circumstances preceding it, it was not a very healthy idea. However, we do not know why the prophet thought it was necessary to run alone.
Scripture informs us: And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” When the prophet saw that Jezebel was determined to take his life, he ran. It is most likely that the prophet thought to himself, why put my servant’s life in danger!
Another possibility could be that the man of God did not want his servant to see him in such a vulnerable condition, and certainly not running from a female! He had always seen his master in control, strong and bold.
Whatever the cause, he chose to run alone. Let me share a passage of Scripture that has come to mean a lot to me (I have used it for two wedding sermons). It talks about strength in unity. It is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Emphasis provided).
I have found that indeed, there are times when being alone is necessary. But living your life alone, that is, without the togetherness that having friends provide, can be very sad. It has been proven, that people, especially elderly people, who have at least three close friends live longer than those who do not.
Having left his servant behind, the man of God runs alone until he comes to a tree. Exhausted, he lies down and prays to God to end his life. God had called him and given him a special assignment, and had been with him throughout the journey. No doubt there were times when he might have asked himself, “What have I done to deserve this?”
But today his thoughts are very dark and desperate, ” ‘ “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” ‘ ” In his despair he is not remembering the call. He does not consider himself set apart for a special purpose. And even more tragic, there is no one around to remind him of who he is!
That is where a good friend comes in! I have always thought that somewhere in our headquarters there should be a Pastor’s Pastor. Someone to whom you can open up your heart and share what is bothering you, without feeling judged. Someone you can respect because of their sincerity and true to life godliness! Someone in whose presence you can shed your tears of frustration without being made to feel that you are not a good Christian because you feel the way you do. Someone who will take the time to run with you, so you will not have to run alone!
But thanks be to God; even when, in a moment of crisis, we forget who we are, God is there to redirect our steps. To wake us up! To make us aware that we have made a detour that was not in His plan for our lives. “What are you doing here?” He asks. Then he listens for our answer.
Depending on our circumstances He sometimes allows us to “come apart and rest a while.” And like a loving parent He nurses us back to health by feeding us with the Living Bread, His Word; reminding us of His precious promises that cannot, and will not, fail!
I wish for everyone; not only pastors; that if, like Elijah, you reach a place of “hopelessness” in your experience and find yourself running alone, just remember, God understands. Run into His loving arms and let Him remind you of the work He still has for you to do (see 1 Kings 19: 15, 16).
I promise you, on the Word of God, it is going to be alright! Blessings!