Yes, Elijah was having a “weak” moment!

Mr. Fearless has become frightened!

Yet, still, and this is VERY IMPORTANT … he is praying to God!

And in a cave, at Horeb (Mount Sinai) … God Almighty passes by! And speaks to his discouraged Prophet! “And, behold, there came a VOICE unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” 1st Kings 19:14

“They seek my life,” says the man who just killed 450 false prophets of the god Baal!

Yes, a momentary lapse of courage.

But watch what God does!

He ignores the “self-pity” and “false” sense of loneliness … and gives His man more work to do!

Get BUSY for Jesus!

God commissioning (or maybe re-commissioning) Elijah!

“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.” 1st Kings 19:15-16

While Elijah was about ready to give up!

God was planning on the future!

And He wanted Elijah to be a part of it, too!

Three assignments for the soon-to-be-busier-than-ever Prophet Elijah!

Go … anoint the next King of Syria (Hazael), whom the Lord will empower to be a scourge, a whip, for rebellious Israel!

Go … anoint the next King to replace apostate Ahab too, the zealous Jehu!

And go … anoint the next Prophet (Elisha) to keep preaching the truth to the Jews! God’s Work, God’s Plan continues, unabated, without delay or frustration!

That’s God’s reply to a discouraged servant!

Paul would have worded it this way: “Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2nd Timothy 2:3

And how did all this happen, when did it happen?

As Elijah was praying!

Friend, God is not through with you either!

Jesus said it best. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Luke 18:1

Or again in Luke 21:36. “Watch ye therefore, and pray always ….”

What lessons for us too.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, Elijah … you are not the only one left standing for God! Listen to the Lord: “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” 1st Kings 19:18, many of whom were apparently “silent” believers … but God “counted” or “claimed” them nonetheless!

If you are still “with” the Lord, He knows that fact! “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2nd Timothy 2:19

Amen!