1 Kings 19: 1 – 9

King Ahab told his wife Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had put all the prophets of Baal to death. She sent a message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me dead if by this time tomorrow I don't do the same thing to you that you did to the prophets.”  Elijah was afraid and fled for his life; he took his servant and went to Beersheba in Judah.

Leaving the servant there, Elijah walked a whole day into the wilderness. He stopped and sat down in the shade of a tree and wished he would die. “It's too much, Lord,” he prayed. “Take away my life; I might as well be dead!”

He lay down under the tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Wake up and eat.” He looked around and saw a loaf of bread and a jar of water near his head. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The Lord's angel returned and woke him up a second time, saying, “Get up and eat, or the trip will be too much for you.” Elijah got up, ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to walk forty days to Sinai, the holy mountain. There he went into a cave to spend the night.

Picture

Artwork inspired by this story

Prayer

The story of Elijah is one that resonates with many people – a man who is burned out, depressed, possibly even a man with thoughts of ending his life who encounters God in unexpected ways.  The prayer this evening names that potential in our own lives, and those of people we love.

God of the quiet whisper, the still voice – even the sound of silence – we come to you in our world-weariness, fatigue and tiredness, and we bring with us any we know for whom this physically dark season is emotionally or spiritually dark.  We thank you for the quiet angels who offer simple, practical gifts, whose presence makes the moment lighter.  And we thank you that it is sometimes when you seem furthest away, that we discover you in unexpected ways.  Amen.