PASTOR DEAN P THOMPSON'S WORD OF HOPE PODCAST MINISTRY
This Podcast is for daily devotions, spiritual enlightenment and inspiration, to encourage the child of God unto faithfulness and transformation.In these times of distress, desperation and fearfulness, it is my utmost desire to share words of hope and consolation to the hurting, the depressed, and to those who are feeling hopeless and lost.
Hello everyone, this is Pastor Dean Thompson with a word of hope Encounters with grace under the juniper tree and behold there came a voice unto him What doest thou hear, Elijah? First Kings chapter nineteen verse thirteen. Elijah has just won the greatest victory of his politica, of his prophetic career. Fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, the prophets of Baal defeated before all Israel. Yet the very next scene finds him running for his life from Queen Jezebel's strut, collapsing under a juniper tree, a broom tree in the wilderness, and begging God to let him die. The crush after the mountain top is real and physical. He is exhausted, isolated, and convinced he is the only faithful one left. Aye, only I only I, even I only am left. The desert south of Beersheba, where he flees, was a barren, brutal place, and Elijah has run there in total depletion, wanting only to be done. Watch how gently grace handles a burnt out prophet. God does not rebuke Elijah for his despair or lecture him about his lack of faith. First, he lets him sleep, then an angel provides food and water twice with the tender words The journey is too great for thee. Only after his body is cared for does God address his soul, and even then not in the wind, earthquake or fire, but in a still small voice. And God gently corrects Elijah's despairing math. He is not alone. There are still seven thousands, seven thousands who have not bowed to bear. Grace meets the depleted prophet with sleep, bread, gentleness, and truth. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is sleep and eat. Elijah's collapse teaches us that even after great victories, sometimes especially after them, we can crash into despair. And God's response is not condemnation, but care. He tends the body before he addresses the soul, and he often speaks not in dramatic fire, but in a whisper. If you are conv if you are exhausted and convinced you are alone, hear the gentleness of grace. The journey is too great for you to carry by yourself. And you are not alone, not as alone as you feel. Oh God, we are exhausted and ready to quit. Some of us. Some of us are under our juniper tree right now. Please feed us. Let us rest and speak to us in your still small voice. Remind us that we are not alone, that you are with us, and that there are other witnesses who are standing for your name. We are not alone in our struggles, we are not alone in our fight. We are not alone in the journey. Remind us, please. Amen. God bless you, brothers and sisters.
