Heart pounding and thoughts racing, Elijah looked around the small dusty room he called home. Only moments before, the messenger from the palace had been standing in the doorway, smug and intimidating as he relayed the threat of the queen that the prophet would not see another sunset. His hands shaking, Elijah grabbed a change of clothes and a water jar, and stepped into the dampness of the night. Looking both ways, he hurried through the narrow streets, stopping only long enough to tell his assistant that trouble was brewing. Together they headed out of the gate of Jezreel and down the winding road lit only by their lanterns.
Elijah had spent the last few years hiding from King Ahab and his queen Jezebel while drought dried up the land, a judgment for their wickedness. That drought had ended just yesterday in a dramatic showdown on Mount Carmel between himself and the false prophets of Baal. He had challenged them to prove that their god was alive and listening. Boldly he had instructed them to prepare an altar for sacrifice, lay their bull on the wood, but let Baal light the flame himself. The crowd of supplicants had chanted, danced, cried, and even cut themselves but to no avail. When Elijah had watched long enough, he stood and gathered 12 large stones, heaping them to form an altar for his turn. He laid the wood on the stones, placed his bull on top, and even had spectators pour water over it until the entire structure was fully saturated. The fire that burned his heart as he prayed was answered by fire from heaven as God consumed the sacrifice, stones, and even the dust on which it stood.
But tonight, Elijah the bold prophet was simply a tired man and he was afraid. Tonight he was worried about whether or not he was being followed. He second-guessed his demand that the false prophets be slain for misleading the people. He wondered if he should have headed back to one of his hiding places instead of going into the city that evening. Quickening his pace, Elijah even questioned whether or not God Himself had abandoned him.
The sun was peeking over the horizon when they reached the next city, Beersheba. After a quick breakfast, Elijah handed some coins to his companion and encouraged him to stay out of sight for a few weeks. His worry was greater than his weariness so the prophet picked up his bag, said his goodbye, and hurried down the winding streets. He would not stop until he was in the wilderness, well out of Jezebel’s reach.
The man who had defied the king and boldly declared God’s displeasure was running. He had known miracle provision for years as God had supplied for his daily needs, but today he was just running. God could have easily taken care of mouthy Jezebel and her threats, but Elijah hadn’t asked. His faith was flagging and so was his will. Elijah was running–and God let him.
As we read the narrative, Elijah ran until he was exhausted. Then, instead of stopping the panicking prophet, the Lord sent an angel to feed him so he could continue the journey. Elijah actually traveled over 200 miles. He ran until he came to Mount Horeb (Sinai), the mountain of God, and hid himself in a cave. That is the place that God began speaking to him. He revealed that the situation was not nearly as dire as Elijah had assumed. There on the mountain, God gave Elijah the full picture, including the future plans for his own ministry. When the Elijah the man walked away from that divine appointment, he was once again the bold prophet with fire in his eyes. He had stood with God, and was reassured, recharged, and ready to face whatever came.
But do you know what I wondered about reading this passage from 1 Kings 19? Why didn’t God speak to Elijah before he put on his sneakers in Jezreel? Why didn’t His voice like thunder shake the ground when the prophet was pushing past Beersheba or when he was hiding under a tree in the wilderness? Why wasn’t the angel sent with a stop sign instead of a snack? Why did God let Elijah run?
I suspect that the answer is just that He is God. He knew all along that Elijah was not brave enough or bold enough to stand under the pressure of intimidation. He knew all along that Elijah was going to run–run away in fear, run away from confronting the threat, run to His mountain, run and wait for Him to speak. He is God, and He knew from the start what He was getting when He called Elijah to carry His word.
That fills me with hope. You see, the God that knew who Elijah was but called him anyway is the same God Who called me into relationship with Himself. When I was kneeling at an altar praying out my repentance, God already knew me. He knew I would be brave and bold in my Christian witness and buckle in front of the whispered threats of the enemy the next day. He knew when my zeal would burn like an inferno, and when it would flicker and dance like a candle. He knew I would get tired, even when I had experienced His love in a thousand different ways. He knew every moment my faith would flag. God knew when I would run, but He called me to Himself anyway.
So let me ask you, have you had your running shoes on lately? If you have found yourself weary from the busyness of life, facing situations that are too big, and listening to the devil roar that you are out of options, let me encourage you to take a page from Elijah’s playbook. Run to the mountain of the Lord. He will come close to you and speak peace until you are reassured, recharged, and ready to face life again. He is God and He knew you were coming.
