19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and
came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he
might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am
no better than my ancestors."
19:5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep.
Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat."
19:6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot
stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
19:7 The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and
said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for
you."
19:8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength
of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
Comments:
Chapter 18 portrays the contest between Elijah and the prophets of
Baal in which God withholds and sends the fire. After the contest,
Elijah orders the killing of the prophets of Baal. Angered by the
deaths of her prophets, Queen Jezebel threatens to take Elijah's
life. This reading finds the prophet fleeing, fatigued, and in utter
despair.
I guess we all know how Elijah feels- looking over the care topic
section of the website- you see people- including myself at times-
who feel too weak to go on- burned out- tired of giving- tired of
doing what God wants- Elijah follows God's instructions and suddenly
all heck breaks loose
But God sends him the strength to go on.. and so he does for all of
us too
Susan Gregg-Schroeder has a fabulous reflection on this text in her
book, "In the shadow of God's wing" it is about how this text shows
the cycle of depression, how hard it is to do God's work when we
suffer from this, but how God will wait for us, give us time to rest
and what we need to go on. It is a wonderful take on this text. I
think that depression is so common a problem, but that the church is
very uncomfortable talking/preaching about it. Especially in a time
of clergy and congregational burnout, I think it is an apt text. Any
thoughts or other resources?
Lisa
The angel of the LORD touches us and gives us sustenance at our
lowest point. Seems like another time when God sends someone to meet
us at the point of our need.
Are we guilty of shooing the angel away?
Sally in GA
What stands out to me about this text is that God had just whipped
up on the Baal prophets and yet Elijah seems to think that he can't
whip up on old Jezebel! How often do we see God moving mountains in
certain areas of our life but feel that God is incapable of moving
the next mole hill? PJ in IN
I'm focusing on this text for my sermon this week, and entitling it
"Get Up and Eat", with the thesis of: In great need, God gives us
simply what we need. I'm also pulling in the feeding from John, once
again the simplicity of the food. Often, when we're in need it's
really something very simple that can sustain us. God knows that.
We, being God's-People-In-The-World, need to learn that. We don't
have to say the most eloquent thing to a woman who just lost her
husband--just be present. We don't have to fix a 3-course dinner for
the family with the new baby--a casserole will do just fine. God
doesn't shy away from us in our need. Nor does God overwhelm us with
excess. God gives us the simple things we need. And we can reflect
God for others when we do the same.
Momma Helen
PJ in IN
In a word, yes. That is, when we think what God's done is our own
doing. I see Elijah as thinking of himself as a colossal failure -
he defeated all those prophets but missed Jezebel - and decides that
because he wasn't 100% successful, he is therefore a failure.
It seems that it was his skewed thinking - that it was HE who was
defeating everyone in sight that he thought himself to be a failure.
So much for relying on God!
Sally in GA
It's BTS time in Georgia - any ideas for tie-ins?
BTS = Back To School
Sally
Thanks for the message of simplicity, Momma Helen.
I'm thinking of many things (too many)... depression (I've counted
at least 10 out of a congregation of 120 people who struggle with
depression in some form or other), nurture (God as "Jewish mother",
sending food in time of need, and our need to feed one another), how
do we support those who are depressed?, the hunger of the world...
literal hunger as well as spiritual hunger, and Jesus as the Bread
of heaven. Help!
DGinNYC
To many times people want to "wallow" in their junk. I have seen
folks create mess after mess and then wonder why they are depressed.
I also know there are "crisis Junkies" that when there is no crises
they create one. I see this passage as a lead in to getting over
baggage like this. We can choose to get up, eat, and take
responsibity for our part, allowing God to move in us and get on
with life in a positive way. "IF" we would do it! LiveinSacTown
I know what LiveinSacTown is saying, but I would be very careful in
depicting depression as "wallowing in junk". Clinical depression is
an illness. Crisis-oriented people may have a personality disorder,
e.g., histrionic personality d/o, or they may simply have poor
coping skills. No crime in that. I think this text does talk of life
in the midst of despair, but I would focus on God's provision and
not Elijah's shortcomings. I think of something John Claypool said,
in reflecting on the loss of his 12 y/o daughter to leukemia: (I'm
paraphrasing here) "In my darkness night, I was still standing and I
realized that there must be a reason I am still here." God gave him
the gift of endurance. EcclesialMan in NC
Another thing on depression, loss, etc. A clergy friend gave a
testimony-type sermon called "The Worst Day of My Life." It was
about his son's lifelong struggle with clinical depression and his
ultimate suicide in his mid-20's. And it was powerful - especially
to hear a message of grace and hope after this loss.
I think, however, Elijah actually WAS kind of wallowing. I don't
know that he had bona fide clinical depression, however down he felt
at the time. The angel who came to him to sustain him brought him
out of it.
Our "broom tree thinking" is the focusing on our failures (in
Elijah's case, Jezebel). We're all prone to do that, depression or
not. My focus when I read this scripture is the sustenance from God,
sent by the angel.
I still ask, however, in what ways do we shoo the angel away, or
discount his/her intervention? I catch myself sometimes saying,
"thanks, but no thanks" because the help doesn't come in the form I
want it to.
Sally
There's a good article on this passage on textweek.com by Dennis
Bratcher of the Christian Resource Institute.
I too want to warn against chastizing those who are depressed (even
though it's tempting sometimes). I don't think Elijah was a crisis
junkie. He didn't create the crisis, just like people who lose their
jobs, or grieve the loss of loved ones are not creating crises. Many
people are depressed for good reasons. And even if there is no
obvious reason for being depressed, you will alienate some of your
parishioners by telling them their emotions are not valid. We don't
choose our emotions. We can only choose how we behave.
One of the points Bratcher makes is that our emotional state is not
a good indication of our spiritual state, or God's presence with us.
"Happy" does not mean we are spiritually engaged or healthy, just as
"depressed" does not mean that God is gone. Elijah was depressed,
but God was with him, and waited for him to recover his energy.
I'm intrigued, Sally, by the idea of shooing the angel away. We're
so fiercely independent in this culture, we don't want to accept
help from anyone. Or we question the motives of people who would
help us.
DGinNYC
I find your comments interesting as I've been pondering this text.
The thing that hasn't been mentioned in this discussion is the fact
that the angel comes back twice. Elijah is awakened, told to eat,
eats, sleeps and is awakened again. It may not be exactly what you
are meaning by shoo-ing the angel away, but it does require two
visits to finally get Elijah ready for the journey.
I wonder if this is also the way it is for us when we are feeling
like Elijah under the broom tree. The first time help is offered, we
are not ready yet to accept it fully -- but maybe a little. Then the
second time it comes around we accept it (perhaps grudgingly). That
second time around gives us the strength to continue on our journey.
CL in OH
