Give Yourself Away part 1

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

So, what did God do to a down-in-the-dumps servant? Did he chew him out for losing heart? Did he pat him on the back? Ask him how he was doing? What were his initial words of encouragement or guidance? The preaching came later. First thing God did was minister to his physical needs.

Elijah needed to eat and sleep. And eat some more. Because the journey was too much for him.

It might be more than societal instinct to whip out the casserole dish for those who are hurting. I can tell you that we have not cooked anything in a week, because the kind people at Avicom have cooked our dinners every night. We only encounter problems when we have to figure what Selah can eat.

Lesson 1 - make sure physical needs are met. You all are doing that for us in incredible, staggering fashion. Thank you.