My people have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and murdered Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they’re trying to kill me, too.
1 Kings 19:14
Do you groan with Elijah as you survey the spiritual landscape of our day? I do. For our countrymen have not only abandoned the Lord, they rage against Him. We who are devoted to Christ are being thwarted on every side. We are few in number and growing smaller by the day, more and more alone in our zeal for the Lord.
I find myself saying, “Something is not right here, Lord! Evil is not supposed to win… but it is! Lord, are You seeing this? It does not appear Your plan is working.” I believe these were Elijah’s sentiments also.
And how did the Lord answer Elijah? Here’s a summary:
Go back, Elijah [to the place where they were trying to kill you]… and anoint Hazael king of Aram… Jehu king of Israel… and Elisha as prophet in your place… Through these you anoint, I will bring the sword of judgment on the wicked… but I will preserve the 7,000 in Israel who have not rejected Me and bowed in worship to Baal…
Yes, the Lord was fully aware of everything. And yes, wickedness would indeed be judged and righteousness would certainly prevail over evil, but in the Lord’s time and in the Lord’s way, not Elijah’s. Or ours.
And no, just because we don’t understand the Lord’s plan doesn’t mean it isn’t working.
So here in the meantime—–as God’s patience and purposes play out–we, like Elijah, are to get back to work and busy ourselves with faithful obedience to the Lord’s clear commands. And entrust our care and wellbeing completely to Him.
And no, Elijah was not the only faithful follower of the Lord. As alone as he felt, God had many devoted followers, and He knew each one and promised their preservation.
Then as now in times of spiritual drought and famine, the best course is still to put the full weight of our trust on the Lord and let Him shoulder all our other weighty concerns.
May the Lord encourage you.