Elijah was afraid and ran for his life…went a day’s journey into the desert…came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 

1 Kings 19:3-4

The fire of the LORD fell (18:38). The people proclaimed Yahweh, the self-existent and eternal God, Supreme* (18:39). And as surely as the LORD promised Elijah, the rains poured down (18:45) after three long years. It was evident that Baal had not begun and ended the drought. Surely God’s people would return to their senses. 

So why was Elijah afraid and (running) for his life? In the face of Jezebel’s threat to kill him (19:2), would you not have run too? Plus, he felt he had failed—the revival had petered out to nothing. He had not convinced the people to follow the LORD, had had no more success than those who had gone before. He was certain he was all alone. 

God did not leave Elijah under that broom tree to die. He sent an angel with bread and water, let him rest, fed him a second time, before he went on his way to Horeb the mountain of God (19:8). Forty days and nights—sound familiar? At Horeb (Sinai) God addressed what seemed to be on the top of Elijah’s list: “I am the only (prophet) left” (19:10,14). Not so: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” (19:18).     

What about you, when you’re down in the dumps, deflated, discouraged, depressed, alone and uncertain why God is taking you into unfamiliar territory? Primarily you need to know you are not the only one. The world, the enemy, would like you to believe that is so. 

And even if it were, you always are in the presence of God: 

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  

 —Psalm 139:2-4,7

Nancy P

*Strongs

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV 1973,1978,1984, unless otherwise noted.