What a small little word, and yet 'that' can hinder us so quickly! How many times do we say...'Oh, I've got to have THAT!' Or, "I would do it...if it wasn't for THAT.' How about, 'Hey, did you see THAT!?' In I Kings, chapter 19, Elijah was hindered by 'that'. Remember now in chapter 18, Elijah had the power of God on him....he called fire down from heaven! He showed the people that his God was THE God! But now, Ahab has told Jezebel of what Elijah had done, and she called for him. She wanted him dead.....and that scared Elijah! Verse 3 says, "And when he saw THAT, he arose, and went for his life..." Isn't that like us? We can have the power of God all over us one minute....let the devil rear his ugly head....and off we start running. Isn't the God of our mountains....still the God of our valleys? Of course He is! But....being human....we let THAT get in our way. Once THAT (whatever 'that' is in your life) gets in our way....we feel all alone. We get side tracked, we sit down, and have a pity party. Why, Elijah himself prayed for God just to go ahead and take his life!
Isn't is so comforting to know, when we are feeling so alone, God still comes on the scene and cares for us? God didn't take Elijah's prayer literally....He knew Elijah wasn't thinking clearly. Instead of demeaning Elijah, or telling him how weak he was....he sent an angel to feed him and talked with him, Himself. God knows what we need....and when we need it! Several times Elijah tells God, '...and I, even I only am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." Have you ever felt like you are in this thing alone? No one else really cares about serving the Lord! Look around, everyone else is pleasing self...and here you are trying to do the right thing, and for what? Just hold on, don't give up....God has the answer for you!
Just as Elijah could see no one......in verse 18 God said, "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." Once you can see past 'THAT', God let's you know that you are not battling life's trials alone! There are others working for Christ, too!
Elijah left that place of lonliness, and found Elisha, working the fields, faithful........those two became a great work for Christ together!! You see, when Elijah got up, quit sitting, quit hiding...when he took God's promise and got back in the field of service, he found a wonderful friend on this side of heaven!
You see, when 'that' get's thrown in our face...what ever 'that' may be for you.....stay on the field! When you stay busy for God, your problems won't seem so big! It's human nature to run for cover and hide when the going get's rough. That's just what the devil wants, because he then can fill your head with all sorts of lies and get you feeling so alone. Before you even realize it, you've left the field, you've sat down, and discouragement is on the way! Keep plowing the field God has given you......He'll never leave you nor forsake you, He's given you that promise (Hebrews 13:5). Don't let THAT cloud your mind, and discourage you......God will always take care of you! I praise His name, that even though I let 'that' get to me at times, and pray things that I shouldn't or really don't mean, that God understands, knows my humanity, and sends a rescue for me, and answers me, and gets me going on the right way again! Thank you, Lord, for your blessings and mercy and grace on my life!!!
