Morning Service, 11 October 2009
It must have really been something in the days of the old sailing ships to be circumnavigating the globe, despite all the dangers and storms of such a journey, in what today seem such small ships. And yet for all the exhilaration one can only imagine the relief and joy that greeted such intrepid seamen when they returned to the safe harbour of home.
Upon returning from one of his globe‑encircling voyages, Sir Francis Drake, the great explorer, anchored his ship in the little Thames River. A dangerous storm arose and it seemed that his ship would flounder. Someone standing nearby heard him say through gritted teeth, ‘Must I who have escaped the rage of the ocean be drowned in a ditch?’ Such was the shock of having weathered the dangers of life at sea, to suddenly find their ship faltering in a place of considered safety.
Often a Christian who has withstood the assaults of Satan in severe trials and temptations falters because of a minor difficulty.
Elijah found himself in such a position. He had confronted Ahab, king of Israel, and stood up to 450 prophets of Baal. He had challenged the people to renew their commitment to the Lord. Then he was faced with the wrath of the vengeful Jezebel. Not only did he flee, but he also began to feel sorry for himself. He concluded, “I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
It was in this state of deep despair or depression that Elijah found God coming and ministering to him. It was a ministry in which God assured Elijah of His love and concern, met his basic needs of refreshment and rest, and gave him tokens of presence and power.
Then as we noted last time God set about reviving Elijah’s spiritual perspective. His journey to Mt Sinai (Horeb) over 40 days and nights would have been to him a journey of remembrance, in which his thoughts would’ve redirected to God and His covenant. We saw how important it is in times of depression that we remember and reflect on the character of God and His covenant of grace. It was here in this context of remembrance that God engaged Elijah in spiritual probing, helping him to see himself as God saw him – how important it is for us to examine ourselves and to face our true spiritual condition; and what great wisdom that we do so in the light of God’s grace – lest we be tossed into even deeper despair (an important lesson to those seeking to encourage the despairing!) Here God reminded him of a key spiritual principle, showing him something of His true ways of working, and that God had indeed been working below the radar of Elijah’s awareness, gathering and securing 7,000 people to be His own. God’s displays of grace are often found in the ‘small still voice’.
How often the problem of depression finds its origin at this root of our dictating to God how He ought to work, what He ought to have achieved in a given situation. It is no wonder when we do that that we get disappointed and are open to severe discouragement and even spiral down into despair. We are to bow before God’s sovereignty and rejoice in His wisdom, recognising that His ways are higher than our ways. How we must maintain right views of God and be submissive to Him rejoicing in His wisdom and love.
This brings us more specifically to v.15-18 where we see that God completes the work of restoration as seen in the fact that Elijah leaves the cave and gets on with life, a life of renewed service. How did God do it? Today we will only focus on the first important aspect and very practical aspect of what He did – and may God bless it to our perpetual benefit and that of others through us.
God gives Elijah a fresh area of ministry. Though Elijah’s perspective had been wrong, it does not mean that God didn’t take note of what Elijah was saying. The task was a demonstration that the Lord’s work was going ahead, and that Elijah still had a role to play that would prove productive.
1. It is a new task
Elijah has been idle for some time, not actively involved in ministry. But if God is to restore Elijah He must put him back in to the field.
The task in v.15 will require him to cover some distance and take some time to fulfil. The Lord is determined to keep him busy. He knows that there is nothing worse than idleness, and that as Elijah begins to regain his spiritual and emotional balance he must become active. God gives Elijah something that him can devote all his energies too, something he can focus and discipline his time and interest to rather than stewing over his troubles all day long. God as a means of grace is forcing Elijah to shoulder his responsibilities.
A depressed person feels they can’t do anything and even if they tried it won’t change anything. But that is despair’s spiral of doom. It must be broken. A task must be given, work must be engaged in. The requirement is not that you feel like it, it is that you do it. In such times we need to force ourselves to do something constructive.
There is a place for regrouping our thoughts, for revitalising our body, mind and soul, for identifying and addressing errors in understanding, faith and action that contributed to our depression. But then we must re-engage with life outside of ourselves. We must once again be active, do things, walk out of the cave back into the world of people where God called us to serve Him.
2. It is a pleasant task
When you look at the task it I clear that God is directing Elijah to work in a way that is not as demanding as that work from which he had turned in despair. It is on a different and less demanding level personally. And it is away from Ahab and Jezebel. In many ways it is a pleasant task for it is one in which those to whom he minsters will likely respond positively to and appreciate, unlike the rejection and hatred he found from Ahab and Jezebel. No this is something that Elijah’s own soul would find encouraging.
In the same way we need to look for those things that we find delight in whilst at the same time brining glory to God; those things which correspond to the gifts we have and have used in the past. Don’t go after those things yet which will stretch us, that will put is back into the same sort of situations where we felt intimidated and overwhelmed. Rather start with those things we can do easily and which we may even find enjoyable to the soul.
3. It is a God-glorifying task
Yet it must be understood this is not mere work for work’s sake, merely to get and keep him active. This is work that has God’s glory both as its motivation and goal. In calling him God is giving Elijah a word of encouragement, that in time God’s judgement will indeed come upon the wicked through those whom Elijah will anoint. It was not a meaningless task, but had God’s glory in mind, the glory of God’s justice and moral rectitude against sin and sinners that would be revealed in judgment, and yet at the same time of God’s mercy for God will provide a successor, another prophet, so the Word of grace will continue in the land.
This is important, that that all lives, especially those coming out of despair, see their lives as being lived in the context and to the glory of God. Self-serving lives eventually reveal personal barrenness and inner unhappiness. It doesn’t matter so much what the task is, but it should be one that is a fulfilment of our duty appropriate to our calling life, but in every case we need to look beyond ourselves, even beyond helping others, beyond the task itself as a means to our recovery. We must start and be thinking about God, looking to God, doing it for God. We must engage in the life of faith, the life of believing what we do counts for God and His kingdom no matter how small it may seem to others.
The task maybe be one of many which in the period of depression have been left to mount up, well don’t just do it – do it as an act of faith, of love to God, of gratitude for life’s blessings that He has given you to be in a situation where this task needs to be done (you have eaten, you have others who eat with you and benefit from your cooking), but especially do it to the glory of God. In Titus 2 as Paul talks how to “adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things” (v.10) he tells older women in v.3-5 among other things to be “homemakers” by which he understands that even doing the dishes, ironing, dusting and vacuuming is to be seen as that by which the women can bring glory to God.
4. It is a progressive task
The other thing we notice is the wisdom of God not only in giving Elijah a task, and a relatively pleasant task, He does it in small steps – first one then another, etc. Elijah said he had achieved nothing. God is letting him achieve small things. Elijah said he was no more effective than his forefathers in reforming the nation. God helps him look away from the big picture to little events that are the key to making the big task possible in time.
While God gives Elijah hints of His over-all objective the point to notice here is that this will come as Elijah proceeds step by step. In other words, God is pointing out to Elijah that each mini-task was important, and though they may seem insignificant in themselves, when linked together they would under God’s orchestration result in a cataclysmic change within the nation.
The result of depression is that one often can’t see the trees for the forest. The mind is swamped by all that lays before it and it looms as an impossible task. By focussing on one manageable task at a time they begin to achieve. Those who are depressed need to be active, but it is best that this be done in manageable steps experiencing accomplishment with each one. Don’t expect the heavy cloud to all go at once, to be able to do what you did before it ascended. Be realistic. Highlight manageable projects, small goals to accomplish. A small but progressive list. Then start cutting those trees down one at a time.
This is often what God calls us to do. I read of one minister whose wife died, resulting in deep spiritual dejection and discouragement. Friends advised him to get away from all the things that would remind him of his wife. So he went from place to place, and still that heavy cloud was upon him. It was not until he returned to his pulpit and shouldered the heavy responsibility of shepherding a flock of God, that once again he knew something of that vital relationship with his God.
Is this not what Jesus Christ did with Peter after he repented from his sin of denial? Oh the tears he shed, the unease he must have felt even among the other disciples. But Jesus came to him – for we read in the resurrection appearances that “He appeared to Peter”. Jesus forgave that sin and reassured Peter of His love for him. But He not only did that, He also re-commissioned him. He said to Peter “feed My sheep” (Jn 21:16). He gave to Peter some work to do. It was a work that was pleasing to him, one which he had enjoyed and clearly one for which he was gifted to do. It was work that he would do for Jesus – notice the repeated emphasis on Jesus in His use of “My”. Peter would be doing it certainly in a sense for himself, certainly for the benefit of others, but primarily for the Lord, because they were the Lord’s people he would teach and guide.
If we find ourselves in such circumstances, struggling with depression, then we must come out and be usefully employed in some activity that benefits others to the glory of God. The simple reality is that if you are involved in the needs of others you can’t afford the luxury of retreating to a juniper tree. A mother who has little ones dependent upon her for nourishment and for a warm and loving atmosphere in the home can’t afford such a luxury. So when you get tired with all the pressures and responsibilities of your family, thank God that at least those can keep you from going out and making a juniper tree and sitting under it.
But even if this is not our present we still know the burden of responsibilities, especially in the area of service in the kingdom, that at times we wish we can shrug off. But they can keep you from retreating to a state of dejection and despair. Keep at the task God gives you, and fulfil it with an eye to God and to His glory.