Divine Healing
When
Elijah was in his spiritual depression, God demonstrated His gracious presence
in order to restore His servant from the stage of distress, disappointment,
self-pity, bitterness, fright and encavement. God patiently restored His
run-away servant so that Elijah could continue his ministry in the age of
apostasy.
In
the generation of apostasy, the Israelites did not move even though they saw
the divine fire from heaven, nor did they return to God by receiving His
gracious rain. They were not touched by the zeal of Elijah. Full of
disappointment, the distressed prophet escaped from Jezebel, yet he ran ahead
of God¡¦s will. When he was exhausted, God showed mercy to him by sending an
angel to serve his physical needs. The angel served him twice by heavenly meals
with cake, baked on coal and water. God let Elijah rest and eat until he
restored his energy and ran again. This was actually like the picture by the
Sea of Tiberias where the disoriented and guilt-haunted disciples ran out to
fish and got nothing. The risen Christ Jesus came to them and prepared
breakfast for the exhausted disciples. Jesus did not rebuke them for their
disobedience. He warmly treated them with fish and bread. These angelic meals
provided a great energy source for Elijah. He went in the strength of that food
for forty days and forty nights, to as far as Horeb. God, our daily Provider,
knows our needs and us. He provides sufficient grace and supplies according to
our needs. He knows both our physical and spiritual weakness. ¡¥He gives power
to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.¡¦ (Isaiah
40:29) And God says: ¡¥For I have
satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.¡¦
(Jeremiah 31:25)
God
demonstrated His love to the rebellious Israelites. He showed patience and
mercy to a servant who departed from his ministry. God asked the same question
twice: ¡¥what are you doing here, Elijah?¡¦ (1 Kings 19:9,13) God asked His
servant this self-probing question in order to appeal to his conscience. God
called for self-examination. It was a call for reflection and
self-understanding. There is a ¡¥why¡¦ needed to be addressed behind the ¡¥what¡¦.
Elijah must wake up and walk out from his cave of self-pity and bitterness. God
called Elijah for a self-examination and self-understanding. It is a turning
point for our spiritual depression. We need to examine ourselves until we
realize the cause and source of our problems. Like the prodigal son
self-examined his way and finally decided to return home. Jonah self-examined
his deeds and offered a prayer of repentance in the belly of a big fish.
Haggai, the prophet, summoned the returned Jews ¡¥to consider your ways.¡¦
(Haggai 1:5,7) Jesus warned the church of Ephesians, saying: ¡¥remember
therefore from where you have fallen, repent and do the first works.¡¦
(Revelations 2:5) Dear brothers and sisters, if you are in a spiritual
depression, please reconsider and self-examine your ways from the point when
you have begun to lose the grace of God. Return to God, and His divine healing
will immediately come upon you.
On
the day when God proclaimed the laws to the people of Israel in Mount Sinai,
God came with great glory and might. All the people, including Moses, trembled
in front of His mighty presence. The Israelites were so afraid and told Moses
that: ¡¥you speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest
we die.¡¦ (Exodus 20:19) During the second time when God¡¦s glorious presence
descended on the mountain, a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and
broke the rocks into pieces, as He passed by. There were earthquakes and fire,
yet God was not in them. God spoke to Elijah in a small still voice. It
indicates the compassion and love of God to His fainted servant. God did not
respond to the questions raised by Elijah, nor did God answer his request by
taking his life. Full of mercy, God came to comfort and restore him. My dear
brothers and sisters, God understands our trouble and distress. He reminds us:
¡¥as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.¡¦ (Isaiah 66:13)
¡¥For I am the Lord who heals
you.¡¦ (Exodus 15:26)
By: Daniel To