Moutain Top Whispers

“ I have had enough, Lord, take my life!”  Have you ever felt like this?  If so, you’re not alone.  In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah was at the end of himself, fearful, exhausted and hopeless.  He prayed, “Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay under a tree and fell asleep.   I can’t help but laugh because I’ve been in this place quite a few times myself.  Physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion led me to believe that the best option for me at the time was for God to somehow take me to heaven immediately.

            We’ve all been in places in our lives where death seemed the best option.  Life can beat down on us, tempting us to give up.  This is one of Satan’s oldest tricks in the book.  If he can get us to fear, grow weary and tired--he's won! When we take life on alone, this is the result.  Elijah faced the same problem. He was afraid and exhausted and ran for his life or shall I say from his life.   How many times have you wanted to run from your circumstances and give up? For some of us—too many! Needless to say, God knows your limitations and doesn’t grow angry when you cry out in desperation for Him.  In fact, He loves coming to the rescue.  God met Elijah’s desperate cry that day, but not in the way of death, but rather with restoration and refreshment, sustaining him for the next leg of the trip.  I can only imagine that Elijah might have been disappointed to have to keep going, but God had a plan and it wasn’t all about Elijah.

            God sent an angel to Elijah; “Get up and eat for the journey is too much for you” (verse 7). God recognized that Elijah couldn’t do it without his help and he would need to be refreshed, renewed and re-focused.  Elijah recognized that he had been zealous in his ways by taking on his problems alone, but God  revealed to Elijah on a mountain His great power.  “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”  The words pass by in Hebrew means to extend, cross over, pass through, let pass over, or send over.  Elijah heard the whisper of God and became strengthened again. Instead of giving up, Elijah received God's grace and peace to keep him going.
                  Do you need a mountain top whisper today? If so, be reminded that greater is He that is in you than he that is in this world.  You can overcome today when you give up all your circumstances to God.  He will help give you strength for the journey ahead.... Happy Monday!:)