A THREE "SNOOZE" MORNING

A THREE “SNOOZE” MORNING!

A “classic” originally posted June 23, 2013

1 Kings 19:2-8

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord , take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord  came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

           Some mornings are a “three snooze” morning! Today is one of those for me. More often than not I am up before the alarm ever sounds but this morning the comfort of the comforter beckoned me to stay awhile longer. There are some days – or weeks – that are so taxing that our bodies scream for rest. Our scripture describes just such an occasion for Elijah.

           Elijah had engaged in a spiritual contest with the prophets of Baal and had won. Spiritual conflict and mental or emotional challenges often wear the body down more than physical exertion. When Jezebel added her threat to the mix, Elijah folded. I’d like to offer a few reasons why rest for the body and for the spirit is needed.

           When we are overly tired we become self-focused! Elijah imagined that he was carrying God’s banner alone. He did not know that there were other champions doing battle on other fields and fronts.

           When we are overly tired we become irrational in our thinking! We make foolish decisions and bad judgments. I have always found it to be curious that, in the face of Jezebel’s threat of death, Elijah requested from the Lord that he might die. If he had only stayed where he was Jezebel would have surely accommodated him. He wasn’t thinking right. He was tired. Melancholy overwhelmed him and he wanted to resign. He couldn’t see any progress or benefit for all his labor.

           When we are overly tired often God steps in! Exhaustion put him to sleep and an angel woke him saying: “Get up! It’s time for breakfast.” Refreshed but still tired, he went back to bed and slept until the angel woke him again. There was no scolding sermon from the angel; no message of disappointment from God. Only refreshment and a chance for rest. The angel warned that he needed to rest and refresh himself because he was about to embark upon another hard task. He said: “The journey is too great for thee!” Those two meals and that wonderful sleep carried him another forty days.

           If you are tired listen to your body. If you are stressed listen to your spirit. Are you beginning to complain? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you see no accomplishments or progress in all your labor? Maybe all you really need is a three-snooze morning.

Ps 103:13-14

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord  pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Dear Lord, thank you for the refreshment and rest that inevitably comes when we put our trust in you. Give us the strength for yet another forty days of labor. AMEN