The messages we seek and the messages of life and hope we can offer
By Dean Collins
Some readers remember the waiting. In the old days, we depended on written messages to hear some bit of news from a friend or loved one. We wrote letters updating the recipient on business issues, requests, and transactions. We also wrote letters to loved ones sharing bits of information about our lives and hoping we would receive a letter back with details of theirs. Messages were sent by mail more than by phone, because the expensive cost of a long-distance call was out of reach for many.
The messengers were employed by the post office. They sometimes delivered good news and sometimes the messages were difficult to read. I remember when 2 marines in uniform showed up at our door while my older brother was in Viet Nam. It was bad news but not the worst news. They came to tell us that a grenade had exploded near my brother and that he was in a hospital. He lived, but it was a long time in between messages.
A threatening message
Elijah had a messenger sent by Jezebel after she heard the news from her husband concerning all that Elijah had done during his victory on Mt. Carmel. Elijah’s words and behavior were confident as he taunted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He did not seem to hesitate or lack confidence that God would send fire from heaven during the contest to demonstrate who was God and who was not.
When the messenger from Jezebel arrived with her death threat that included a specific time by which she would have Elijah killed, he did what I suspect we would all have done. He ran for his life. He ran far enough to get to a land where Jezebel had no dominion. And then he ran further into the wilderness. He wanted to make sure that far enough away was truly far enough.
Discouraged, tired, and frustrated that things hadn’t gone exactly as he wanted, Elijah asked the Lord if he would just let him die. “It is enough…” that is how Elijah opened his prayer. I have opened a few prayers that way myself. Not so much wanting to die but certainly wanting the difficulty to end, and sometimes because things did not go the way I wanted them to go. In the case of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, the prophet had a dramatic victory. But he may have also had a fantasy that this would turn the hearts, minds, and behavior of Ahab and Jezebel to repentance and to obedience to the God of Israel. That did not happen.
“I’m no better than my fathers” was Elijah’s last word before he fell asleep alone and discouraged underneath the broom tree. In Numbers 11:13-15 we read about Moses being so discouraged and tired he wanted God just to let him die as well. Elijah was right. He wasn’t any better than Moses. The truth is none of us are any better than those who went before us or who are with us now. We all stand in the same flawed state without Jesus. And with Jesus, we all have access to forgiveness and transformation. And following Jesus will include times of struggle and trouble.
A message from God
One of my favorite preachers and writers in the late 70s and into the 80s was a pastor from Palo Alto California named Ray Stedman. (He died in 1992.) I read a few of his small books and met him once at a conference. His gentle and honest style spoke to me as a young leader. Stedman said in one of his sermons, “A Christian is to be one who is completely fearless, continually cheerful, and constantly in trouble.” I love that definition!
Scripture is filled with many passages that tell us not to fear. Jesus told us that as well. And he did say that in this world there would be many troubles. We may often feel like running just like the prophet Elijah did. But we can’t outrun our troubles. We also can’t outrun God. He will send a messenger. Sometimes the message will come from Scripture. Sometimes the messenger will be nudged by the Holy Spirit to simply call or show up with encouragement and help.
The message you can send
What we know from Elijah’s story is that we sometimes need rest, food, sleep, encouragement, and a new assignment. We will also learn that if we pay attention and look around we will see many others who love Jesus working beside us in the kingdom of God. God will never leave us to do his kingdom work alone. He is always active in ways we cannot see.
Maybe today is a good day to ask the Lord for help. Maybe it’s a good day to take a nap and rest. Maybe it’s a good day to look around and see who God wants you to reach as a messenger of hope. We have all the technology in the world, so we do not have to wait for the long, slow process of letters in the mail. Look around and give someone a message of life today. I promise you there is someone nearby who needs it.
Your time with God’s Word
1 Kings 19:1-18 ESV
Photo by Ethan Hoover at pexels.com
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