"This is enough, O LORD!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
To one degree or another we probably all experience this exhaustion at times. We feel like we've been trying and putting in effort for so long with nothing to show for it. We may have had successes in the past as Elijah did but none of that seems to matter in light of the darkness of our present circumstances. We let bitterness and anger creep into our behavior in small ways. Whereas before we could have responded to criticism with patience now we are tempted to let our smart remark fly. We have a greater need to shout and insist on our own way. This is not surprising. But we are called to more.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.
We can't give in to spiritual exhaustion. Moreover, there is a better choice. We become exhausted, ultimately, by relying on ourselves and not receiving strength from God each week, each day, and each moment. We rely on the food which leaves us hungry rather than the food God gives that makes us strong.
"Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!"
He got up, ate, and drank;
then strengthened by that food,
he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.
We need to taste and see God's goodness. When we do we find strength for the journey. When we eat the bread Jesus gives we receive an eternal life that cannot be conquered by worldly circumstance.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.
So let us allow God to teach us. Let us allow the Father to draw us. The angels stand ready to feed us with food that will make us strong. We will be so strong that even when we are called to make of our lives a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma we will be undaunted.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
No comments:
Post a Comment