I’m not the first person confounded by the prophet Elijah’s fear of Jezebel in 1 Kings. The man just pulled off an epic victory in a legendary battle. He defeated over 450 prophets of Baal in the showdown of the century. In the process, Elijah audaciously mocked Baal, and the prophets Ahab and Jezebel had sent. You would think he would’ve felt invincible, but it was the opposite. When Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah, he was shaking in his boots. He was so terrified he asked God to take his life. How can someone who won against 450 terrifying men be intimidated by one person, a lesser enemy? I ask the same question of myself. Nearly ten years ago, I faced stage 4 breast cancer. There are lesser enemies in my life that terrify me. Why?
"Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!” 1 Kings 19:1-2
Human Being vs. Human Doing
When we struggle with worthiness, we have confidence that God shows up for His battles, but not always for us. When there is a personal threat to us, it might be more challenging to muster the faith we need. We need to understand that God wants the best for us. Our battles are His battles. God cares first for us as humans, not just what we can do for Him. Once we get ahold of His tremendous love for us, separate from what we can do for Him, we can more readily receive His grace in our time of need. There is another culprit that feeds our fears and can send us on a downward spiral. It’s not prioritizing the care and stewardship of our body and mind.
When he saw that, he arose, and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 3:4
Red Flags: Self-Care and Neglect
When we have intense negativity, it’s a sign that it’s time to apply self-care. God even sent an angel to do this for Elijah. If you look at King 19:35-38, he took naps, the angel brought him food, retook naps, ate some more, and drank until he was strong enough to come to the Lord. Spirituality and mental health sometimes relate to the neglect of fundamental neglect like eating, eating, drinking, and sleeping properly. No one’s going to parent us. We see that Elijah’s cure for his depression began with lots of naps, having a meal, and hydrating. Let’s start there.
He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat!” He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. Yahweh’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”
He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain. 1 Kings 19:5-8
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for neglecting the fundamental stewardship over my body. These things are simple, but sometimes I neglect getting enough sleep, eating correctly, and that You love me beyond what I can do for You. I asked that You give me a desire to do with healthy for me. Give me the wisdom and insight to see that You love me beyond what I can do for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
