These have been difficult weeks for some of the families at Christ Our Savior. There are those among us who have had to wrestle with death up close and personal. There are people who’ve had to face the death of someone very near and dear to them. There are people here who have had to face very difficult and worrisome health challenges – sometimes health challenges that drain the very will to go on from people. We have people close to this ministry who have had intense struggles with their marriages and family life. It is an incredibly difficult thing to face life knowing that the relationships you value the most are crumbling. There are people here who have had to face intense scrutiny and difficulty with their employers. There are people here who have to face difficult financial challenges.
Life can be a hard thing when we face these struggles. It can leave us feeling alone, abandoned, helpless, useless. Many people even suffer bouts of depression. Statistical studies demonstrate that more than 17 million people suffer from depression. Often these bouts are brought upon because of physiological reasons and need the attention of a physician to correct. But sometimes, people suffer depression-like symptoms because they feel that they have no hope.
People respond in different ways to this type of burden. Some stand up to the challenge and keep paddling. Some turn and run. Some withdraw into a shell. Some keep muddling through, but every day is a struggle - even getting out of bed to face the day becomes a chore.
There is the mistaken notion that people who are believers - Baptized children of God – church going people – are somehow immune to these sorts of things. The erring prosperity teachers delude gullible believers to think that by becoming believers God will give them new cars, huge bank accounts and lovely homes. Those who preach a gospel of glory instead of the cross teach that the Christian life is about only good things and plenty and great health. But that is altogether unbiblical.
Today we are going to deal with this delicate topic from God’s Word. We will use as a basis for our meditation the Old Testament reading which speaks about a low, low time in the great prophet Elijah’s life. Let me just give you a little background so that we can have a good context for that event.
You see, Elijah had just experienced one of the most powerful victories a believer can possibly live through. He’d been at Mt. Carmel. There he had been God’s instrument in doing battle the prophets of Baal. Wow, was it ever an awesome encounter and display of God’s power. Elijah had literally called fire from the sky and a thrice dowsed pile of wood on an altar was set ablaze by a column of fire that God sent from the sky. After it was all said and done, the prophets of Baal were shown to the inept, effete idolaters that God said they were. The people who witnessed this event fell on their faces and cried, “The LORD - He is God! The LORD - He is God!” So Elijah was literally on a mountaintop – physically and spiritually.
So here we have God’s man, a prophet of God, at the zenith of his career. But maybe, Elijah in his humanity, didn’t realize that some of our greatest spiritual letdowns follow tremendous spiritual highs. The Lord had delivered powerful victories into his hand. Nothing could stop him now – right? Enter Jezebel, king Ahab’s wife, and meaner than cornered wildcat. She was really ticked off when she heard that Elijah had defeated and had put all the prophets of Baal to death. She swore that the next day would not end before she would have Elijah put to death.
No sweat, right? Elijah had seen God’s mighty hand at work. He’d seen God deliver the prophets of Baal into his hands. He’d seen God used ravens to bring him food when he was hungry. He’d even seen the power of God raise the dead to life. There would be no threat, no problem, no issue that could Elijah, not even Jezebel - right? Wrong! Elijah was afraid. He ran for his life. Let’s read about his experience: [read the Old Testament Lesson here 1 Kings 19:4-8]
How many of you can identify with Elijah? Haven’t there been times when things got to the point where we just wanted the world to stop so that we could get off? “No one can help you,” says the enemy to you. “God doesn’t care about you,” satan lies. “How could you possibly think that a God who is so far removed and distant would even be aware of your problems,” says the devil to us.
And as happened with Elijah, these thoughts can come to us right after the most wonderful manifestations of God’s grace and power. Do you know beloved that, just like happened to Elijah, we are vulnerable when we think that we are so close to God that nothing can touch us. That’s when the Jezebels of this world can most easily attack us.
And the natural inclination after such an attack is to shrivel up in despair. This is exactly what satan wants for us to do. He wants us to take our spiritual eyes off Jesus and think only about our problems and our concerns. And that is exactly when we make ourselves even more vulnerable to satan and his wiles.
What happened when Elijah was down and out? Did he all of a sudden cinch up his belt and puff out his chest and say, “I’m tough. I can handle this. This is no hill for a climber.” No, that isn’t what happened. Elijah was a completely beaten broken man. He couldn’t help himself. He even wanted to die.
And that is when God did what only God can do – bring hope to the despairing, help to the weary, strength to the weak, food to the hungry, salvation to the lost. God took the initiative. God restored and strengthened him. God sent an angel to take care of him, and when Elijah looked around, there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down to sleep again. The angel of the Lord returned a second time to care for him. And so Elijah was able to get up and continued on his 40-day journey until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
You know beloved, we’re on a journey too. Our time in this life can be likened to Elijah’s journey through the desert. We often encounter despair and pain. And when life gets too hot to handle, it is God who nourishes and comforts and strengthens. Our own sin and transgression are what serve to bring despair and desolation into our lives. And God brings exactly the kind of help to address the root of our problems.
When God helped Elijah, he did so in the form of one referred to as the “Angel of the Lord.” Many bible scholars believe that this is none other than a pre-birth manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wow! What an awesome Savior. This is not the only time Jesus showed up in the Old Testament. He’s been bringing help and salvation to God’s people from day one.
And it is this same Angel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who comes to our rescue. He subjected himself to the suffering and pain that our transgression of the law demanded. He died on the cross to pay for your sins and mine. And He rose from the dead to show that his victory was complete and wholly acceptable to God - and all this out of God’s mercy for you and me.
Why did God do all of this? It really is a great mystery, because God’s mercy and love goes beyond human understanding. We saw it in His merciful care of Elijah whose trust in God had ebbed. We see it in Jesus’ incredible love for us. Why? Don’t know. That is the essence of grace. That God looks at our pitiful condition – whether it be sin, or sickness or fear or financial woe – and He loves us. He has mercy. He lets us know that the forgiveness of the Cross and the healing and salvation and hope that it brings is for you and me. And He does it all for us through the “Angel of the Lord,” Jesus Christ!
Psalm 34, the Psalm for today says: “I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:4-8)
When you are worried about life and life’s troubles, look at the evidence of God’s love for you, beloved: the Cross, the empty tomb, your Baptism, the nourishing food at the Lord’s Altar; and all of that to bring you forgiveness and restoration. We’ve all got an appointment to be at Mount Horeb, beloved. We need help to get there, and our help is in the name of the Lord. Amen.
