The Recovering of Hope

June 25, 1995

I Kings 19, Luke 8

If you go looking for strong personalities in the Bible, if you make any sort of list, you'll have to include Elijah the prophet. This man is the quintessential rugged individual. No one exceeds his reputation as a prophet, a man of God, and a fearless teller of the truth. But as strong as Elijah was, he was NOT super-human.

THE ROLLER-COASTER OF REAL LIFE EMOTIONS

In the story we've read, Elijah was coming off a world-class high, the greatest success he had ever seen, beyond fantastic. Elijah had exalted YHWH, God had answered his prayer by fire from heaven. Thousands of Israelites shouted their return to faith, and hundreds of false prophets, prophets of Baal, were put to death. Then Elijah prayed again, and again God answered with rain that ended a three-year drought. You would think that with an entire nation's attention and respect Elijah would have had some sense of accomplishment and joy.

But that is not how real life goes. The rugged prophet is mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted. So when in the wake of that great victory the queen of Israel threatened Elijah's life, there wasn't anything more Elijah had to fight with. We might think a man who could call fire down from heaven would simply say: "Get in line, Jezebel— you're next on the hit list!" But that is not what really happened. Elijah didn't think, didn't pray— he just ran.

Maybe Elijah had thought everyone would love him now that God had vindicated his prayers, now that the rains had returned, now that the false prophets had been proven false. Maybe Elijah even thought Jezebel would come around. But when none of that happened, and Jezebel threatened to kill him, Elijah simply went south. He walked and ran and walked to the very end of the road. Then he kept on walking another day into the dry and barren wasteland of the Negev desert. Finally he found himself lying exhausted under a broom tree, more depressed than he had ever been before in all his life. All he could think of was, "Let me die!"

"HE RESTORETH MY SOUL" - ELIJAH'S RE-ASSURANCE

What happened next might just make a difference in your life and mine. It is a classic example of how to deal with exhaustion and depression. We can't duplicate the exact circumstances. We wouldn't want to. But we can see how the God of a rugged prophet dealt with that prophet when he ran out of gas:

1. An angel touched him. He had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, but an angel gently touched him and said, "You've been sleeping for hours. Now get up and eat." There was a cake, fresh baked (angel food, of course) and a jug of water. Elijah ate and drank and stretched and turned around and lay back down and went out like a light once again.

   The process was repeated. The angel said, "Hey, you've slept around the clock! Get up and eat— you have a journey ahead of you."

2. Strengthened, but still certain that he was not appreciated, and certain that he was the last bastion of faith, Elijah set out to re-connect with God. God had never left Elijah, but Elijah needed to hear first hand that everything was all right. He set out for Sinai.

   Finally he got to the mount of God, found a cave, and went in. A cave is a great place to hide. Unfortunately, a cave is also a bad place to try to live. And a cave is a frightening place to be trapped. Elijah spent the night in the cave. When he awoke he heard the word of the Lord asking him, "Elijah, what are you doing here?"

   Elijah was ready— he began to tell God what he had done- as if God did not know. "I am alone! No one else is true!"

   The word came to Elijah. "Get out of the cave, stand and wait before the Lord."

   Elijah did as he was told. A great wind began to moan and shriek; the passage said it split mountains and broke rocks to pieces. That is some wind. But the Lord was not in the wind. Next came an earthquake. God was not in the earthquake, either. Then came a desert storm of fire. God was not in the fire, either. Elijah waited. He needed to hear from God himself.

   After the fire there was silence. One translation calls it "a sound of sheer silence." Elijah knew he was in contact with God Himself. And the question came again: "Elijah, what are you doing here?"

3. Elijah knew he was being heard. He poured out his complaint— he told God exactly how he felt. But Elijah was also ready to hear what God had to say. The grip of the depression was broken. Elijah was ready to move on. God said to him: "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus." There was still work for Elijah to do. There was a real connection with God.

LET ME BREAK OFF NARRATIVE HERE AND GO DIRECTLY TO APPLICATION:

HOW DOES THIS 'TRANSLATE' FOR PRACTICAL HELP?

1. Listen to your body. You are not superman, superwoman. You are not intended to be. There are times to work almost around the clock. There are other times when it is not optional, it is necessary to take time off, "down time," letting the soul catch up with the rest of us.
2. Listen for God. Listen to God's still, small voice. Listen, and be still, no matter if it takes a while. Listen. [If you wait, God will speak.]

   People pay great sums, they travel long distances in order to hear what they believe are words of wisdom. God is waiting to reveal Himself to you, but what makes you think that God can or will speak as you think he should, or on your time-table? You do not understand ALL the reality involved, so seek to wait before God, in the confidence that he can and will speak to you.

   FINDING GOD IN THE SILENCE - From Thomas Merton's "Thoughts in Solitude": If life is poured out in useless words we will never hear anything, we will never become anything, and in the end because we have said everything before we had anything to say we shall be left speechless at the moment of our greatest decision.

3. Listen for God's word on the Church

   You will find strength and faith and support in the body of believers. There are yet 7,000 who have not bowed knee to Baal. You are NOT all alone.

4. Listen for God's will for you.

   In the center of God's will, there is your peace. I'll guarantee: God is not done with you yet. (Ruth Cameron's mother at 90+ just took on a new assignment: to serve God in her nursing home; it has given her great peace! A miracle!)

5. Share God's goodness. Anoint others to serve.

   In this story, after Elijah hears from God he is given a renewed assignment. That assignment is making kings— and choosing his successor. (By the way— Elijah finally ends on an "up.")

IN THE GOSPEL LESSON FOR TODAY Jesus delivered a man from the blackest of dark places.

Called "Legion" because he was the slave of thousands of demons, this man who terrorized a whole countryside was set free, brought to peace, clothed, and in his right mind after Jesus spoke to him.

Then the man who had been called Legion asked if he could go on the road with Jesus. Jesus rather gave him this assignment:

"Return to your home, and tell how much God has done for you." And so this man set free went away as Jesus had bid him do, and proclaimed through the city how much Jesus had done for him. (I remember a time or two when a person whose life turned around became a bright witness to an entire community! Walter Lahner!)

Those who have "been there" have the privilege of not only having their hope renewed, but of being God's instrument for bringing hope to those who have not yet been set free.

Prayer - Wherever we are today, Lord, we need You. We seek You. We listen, and we love You. Thank You that You love us. Amen

Hymn #101 He Giveth More Grace