Running From Your Life
by Lynda Scott
Elijah had been through a very difficult season. King Ahab leads the nation of Israel into idolatry by worshipping Baal and Asherah. Elijah is sent by the Lord and prophesies to King Ahab that there will be no dew or rain until he gives the word. The drought starts and Elijah becomes the most wanted person in Israel. He is a fugitive. However the Lord provides for Elijah and protects him. The drought stretches into a number of years and Ahab is still searching for Elijah.
Then comes the amazing showdown on Mount Carmel. Elijah boldly stands up before King Ahab, Jezebel, all the false prophets of Baal and Asherah and the whole nation of Israel. He calls fire down from heaven upon the altar laid with a bull and doused with water to demonstrate to the nation that the Lord is God. The fire falls, all the false prophets are killed and the nation sees that the Lord is God. Then he gives the word and the long awaited rain comes. Elijah has the most amazing victory for the Lord.
Completely humiliated, Jezebel declares she is going to kill Elijah within a day. Elijah should be having a party for the amazing victory. But the Bible says that he is afraid and flees for his life! He runs away by himself and cries out to God “I have had enough, Lord” (1 Kings 19:4b) and asks for God to kill him! It is a complete contradiction. The Lord has already proven himself over and over to Elijah, providing and protecting him. God has just sent down fire from heaven and rain to break a drought at Elijah’s word. Jezebel has no power over Elijah to kill him. Yet maybe it is not that Elijah is running for fear of his life, but rather running away from his life.
I think that Elijah was tired of the battle, tired of the struggle, even though he was winning the fight. He was not running from God. He had just had enough. He is afraid that he is going to have to keep on fighting.
Have you ever been tired of a battle that you are winning? It can be in great success, in raising great kids, it can be in a thriving ministry - it takes more energy to win the battle than to lose it. Are you, like Elijah, running from your life?
Yet an angel of the Lord comes to Elijah while he is sleeping and says, “Get up and eat!” (1 Kings 19:5). In God’s wonderful grace and compassion He provides baked bread and water by Elijah’s head. Only a God like Yahweh would feed Elijah to sustain him for his journey, even though he is running in the wrong direction.
Has God ever taken care of you when you did not deserve it? Today The Lord is coming to you, wherever you are, to sustain you. He is saying, “Get up and eat.” He understands where you are at and why you have had enough. Let Him minister to you today, so that He can prepare you to get back on track and embrace your future with Him. He is with you.
Prayer: God, I understand why Elijah was running - he was tired of the battle. I am tired of the battle too. Forgive me for running from the life You have given me. Thank you that You will sustain and feed me as I get back on track. Help me. Praise You for the victory that you have given me. I love you. Amen.
Lynda Scott was first introduced to Ellel Ministries at a conference led by Peter and Fiona Horrobin in 1996 when she was miraculously healed following a devastating accident. Lynda has continued her association with Ellel Ministries over the years and has recently written her story “Lynda: From Accident & Trauma to Healing & Wholeness.” She lives in Australia with her husband Leigh and 3 children, who are all at school. She works in a local health clinic, as well as helping her husband with the administration of their beef cattle farm.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
