31 Jan We Are Only Human by Georgia Kenyan
He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. 1 Kings 19:6
Without exception, this remains one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament. Elijah, prophet of God, had just returned from a showdown with King Ahab and the prophets of Baal, where the Lord masterfully displayed His dominion. On the heels of an incredible manifestation of God’s power, Elijah was exhausted. He cowered in fear upon receiving word that Queen Jezebel wanted him dead. Finding a small tree to hide under, Elijah cried out to God to take His life. How could this be? How could our mighty prophet suddenly lose all perspective,all recollection of God’s provision? I love the Lord’s response. Instead of rebuking Elijah for his apparent lack of trust, our Father God remembered that Elijah is only a frail human.
Out of exhaustion, Elijah fell asleep as the Lord watched. God has ordained sleep and rest as necessary for our survival and ability to function. As soon as Elijah awoke, the angel of the Lord provided fresh bread and water to nourish his physical body; after he ate, the Lord encouraged him to take another nap! When he woke the second time, Elijah ate some more. Once he was physically restored, the Lord sent him back out on another assignment. Again we are reminded that as human beings, we were designed to function in all aspects of our being–body, soul, and spirit. The three cannot be separated. If we don’t care for the physical needs of our body, depression, fatigue, and a general lack of mental acuity can creep in.
How gracious of our God to recognize our frailty and give us the example of what can happen when we allow our physical batteries to dangerously deplete. He is mindful that we possess material bodies that must be cared for, often, before the spiritual part can function. Take a nap; eat a good meal!
God has big plans for you tomorrow!
Georgia Kenyan
River of Life Church
Bossier City, LA