Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Elijah had just witnessed with
his own eyes the answer of God by fire on Mount Carmel and saw
the resultant destruction of the prophets of Baal. Yet the
smoke had hardly subsided and we find him hiding in the woods
with no small dose of self-pity and fearing the threats of a
wicked woman. This is but a picture of the
strongest of God's children when they are left to their own devices.
We often hear men boast of their faith and criticize others who
do not measure up to their own feats. Yet we find in the scripture
the recurring theme of great men being humbled by the chastening
hand of God and being stripped of all confidence in themselves.
We think of Job abhorring himself and repenting in dust and ashes.
David lamenting his own willful dalliance with another man's
wife and the subsequent murder which was the result. And Peter
weeping uncontrollably having recently boasted of his steadfastness.
It would seem to the natural mind that Elijah would have been
bold in the face of Jezebel's threats. Yet the Lord humbled
him and reminded him of his own weakness so that he might clearly
see from whom his courage and strength truly came. Those who
make great boasts of their exploits and their courage in the face
of trial are strangers to grace and ignorant of the weakness
of the flesh. Every one of us is prone to self-pity and fearfulness,
except that the Lord should deliver us from it. While the hand of
the Lord is ever faithful to humble the sons of God and acquaint
them with their own inadequacies, yet his purpose is greater than
the mere humbling of them. Rather, it is through this humbling
to lift them up. God resisteth the proud and giveth
grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under
the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
Until a man is thoroughly acquainted with his own unfaithfulness,
weakness, and fear, he will never be made strong. For it is through
weakness that God's children are strengthened, as Paul confessed,
for when I am weak, then am I strong. It is then that they can do nothing
but cast themselves upon the mercy of God. Well did the apostle
say, I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.
This was not a boast of his accomplishments, but rather an acknowledgment
of the source of all his strength. The angel told Elijah to eat
the bread that he had prepared for him, because the journey
which he was being sent on was too great for him. The sons of
God are in like fashion called to sojourn in this world, and
to make a journey which is too great for them to make, except
that they eat the bread which is given to them. The Lord said,
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man
eat of this bread, he shall live forever. Then Jesus said unto
them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh
of the Son of Man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and
I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth of this bread
shall live forever. Elijah was able to go for 40
days and nights after eating the bread which was given to
him, but he had to eat it again. This bread which the sons of
God are given does indeed sustain them in times of famine and leanness,
but this is a bread which they must continue to eat, and by
which they are fed continually by the Lord. A very common notion
which exists among many who preach and confess what they purport
to be the gospel is that a man can get saved by a one-time simple
act of free will. Salvation is presented as though
it is a singular transaction which they participate in, and
once they have it, then all is well. The scripture indicates
that the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He is their strength
in the time of trouble. The sons of God are granted salvation
according to the mercy of God, who is pleased to deliver them
from sin and darkness and set them on a journey which requires
a constant source of sustenance. This sustenance is the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself. He is their salvation and the
strength of their song. He is pleased to lead them upon
the mountaintops and the valleys of life, in times of darkness
and in the most enjoyable seasons of light. The one constant throughout
this journey, which begins at the brink of hell and culminates
at the gates of heaven, is that He is ever faithful, both when
He can be seen and when He is pleased to hide His face. and
I will bring the blind by way that they knew not. I will lead
them in paths that they have not known. I will make darkness
light before them and crooked things straight. These things
will I do unto them and not forsake them. Yes, indeed, this journey
is much too great for any of the sons of God. We cannot know
the way, nor can our eyes behold the glory of that city to which
we are called, except that he should guide us and keep us from
falling. We could never arrive at that
destination. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.