1 Kings 19:1–8— An angel brings food to dejected Elijah who in fear of Jezebel fled to the wilderness.
After a dramatic victory on Mt. Carmel over the gods of Baal and Asherah, Elijah, a ninth century prophet flees to the wilderness to escape the threat of Jezebel the queen that in twenty-four hours he would dead. Despite the fact that the Lord had shown that He alone is the true God in Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal, wicked Queen Jezebel clung to her false gods and sought to kill Elijah. To escape, Elijah fled to the wilderness near Beersheba.
Under a tree Elijah falls asleep. An angel awakens him and directs him to eat the food brought. After another nap, the angel repeats the order and Elijah eats a second time. The food is not manna but cake. The food gave him strength to continue his journey to Mt. Sinai for forty days.
Elijah was so despondent that he wanted to die. He was physically dead tired. Emotionally he was spent. Though he had a dramatic victory over Baal, he was scared to Jezebel. She vowed to kill him in twenty-four hours. Is that a proper reward for victory? Elijah’s pride was involved. He thought he could do better than his fathers, but he realized he was no better. When life hits bottom, where do we turn?
If the angel only touched Elijah, he much have been a slight sleeper. Probably the angel shook him to awaken him. There is something about a touch that is more meaningful than words. Here we see the marvelous grace of God. Elijah was in a wilderness as a refugee. He was at the lowest point of his life. God touches us often through an angel bringing food when we are at our extremity. 1
The Lord feeds us also; not through the ministrations of an angel, but by farmers, truckers, stock-boys, and grocery-store clerks etc. Luther explains in the Catechism under the heading Daily Bread: “God gives daily bread to everyone…we pray that He would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”
For guidance in our calling – Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 2
Sources:
Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcut the Sermon on the Mount, used with permission for personal and congregational use copyright © WELS
1. Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
2. Collect for guidance in our calling, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
No comments:
Post a Comment