Day 2
Memory Verse – Philippians 4:6 -7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Read I Kings 19
We read here about the prophet Elijah, a hero in the faith. He spent the previous few years being fed and taken care of supernaturally by God. He declared there would be no rain in Israel until he said so, and there had been a famine ever since. And in the chapter just before this one, we read that he completely embarrassed the prophets of Baal, the prophets supported by the evil King Ahab and his even more evil wife Jezebel. He was a walking, talking messenger of the Lord who performed mighty works under the power of God everywhere he went!
But even mighty men of great faith can get discouraged. And this is where we find Elijah…in a cave, hiding from a woman who has vowed to kill him. He feels alone and helpless, and no doubt thinks all his sacrifice and work has been completely futile. Can you relate? I am grateful that the Holy Spirit, when inspiring those men who recorded the scriptures, saw fit to let us know that our heroes struggled, just as we do! And I am even more grateful that God did not leave Elijah in that place of anxiety, but reached out to bring him peace. The Lord got Elijah’s attention with a rushing wind, an earthquake, and a fire, but then it was in a still, small voice – a peaceful voice, that God reached Elijah with the truth. He was not alone. God was with him, and there were others in Israel who were also with him. In fact, the Lord gave Elijah a companion, Elisha, who would be with him for the rest of his life.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
It is not lost on me that Elijah would have benefited greatly from the words of Paul here. If he had spent his time thanking God for the provision that undeniably came directly from the hand of God; if he had chosen to think about what was good and noble and right – how the Lord had worked mighty acts through him; if he had focused on the facts that were proven to him over and over – that God protected and took care of him, and He would again; if he had chosen to rejoice over the defeat of the prophets of Baal, rather than focusing on the threats of Jezebel – any of these choices could have brought the incomprehensible peace that Elijah needed in this moment. Praise God, He didn’t leave Elijah in that anxious state, and He won’t leave us there, either!
Elijah was human, just as we are. Have you ever experienced a time of anxiety following a time of victory?
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Have you put Philippians 4 into practice? Bring your prayer and petition with Thanksgiving to God? Have you felt His supernatural peace?
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