Daily Bread
“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed 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 do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went 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 broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"
Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat."
Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:1-6)
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"
Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat."
Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:1-6)
Here we see Elijah running for his life. He is out in the wilderness, and he prays to God asking Him to take his life because Elijah has sinned against God. So we have a man who is being pursued because he murdered the priests and he is overcome with grief about his sinfulness. And of course, he prays. That’s what we all do in situations like this. Life is going badly. We feel guilty for our sins. Everything is crashing down, and so out of our desperation we pray, because there is nothing more we can do. And we want so desperately for God to do something spectacular in our lives to rescue us from the troubles we face. Elijah was so burdened that he prayed that God would just end his life. However, God answers Elijah’s prayer in a much different manner. The spirit of God taps him on the shoulder, wakes him up and tells him to eat. He doesn't work some miracle in his life, come down and comfort him, promise to save him from Jezebel's wrath or any other exercise of His infinite power. He wakes Elijah up in the middle of the night and tells him to eat. Cake and water. Elijah is having the worst day of his entire life, and all that God has to offer him is some cake and water. Not quite the miracle answer to a prayer you'd expect huh?
In our most desperate of times, when we feel that everything has gone wrong, God answers with the most simple of answers. Yes He could make it all go away, but instead, He awakens you, and reminds you simply to eat. Partake in the most practical necessities of life. I find it to be a very humbling answer to a prayer. While He may not have answered it with balls of fire and mind blowing displays of His power that you may be wanting, He fed you. We are physical humans, living in a physical world. No matter how hard it may be, you were put on this planet. God isn't going to make this planet go away just because it's difficult for you. He understands your problems and your struggles. It will always be hard on us. We can't expect God to swoop down and stop things when they are tough. But we can expect Him to provide. Elijah prayed for God to take his life, in return God gave Elijah life. What a miracle food is.
God's answer to Elijah’s desperate prayer in a time of need is nothing more than food and water. We’re human, what else do we need? I think it was God's way of showing Elijah that he was provided for. The food and water that you and I eat and drink every day, is the answer to our most desperate of prayers. The only answers we need. "Give us this day our daily bread." It has been given. Partake of it, and be reminded of the tremendous power of our God. -KT
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