I'm the Only One Left

 

Write From My Heart / November 16, 2020 / I’m the Only One Left

 1 Kings 18:18 (NLT) “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied [speaking to Ahab, King of Israel]. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the LORD and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.”

1 Kings 19:3 (NLT) Elijah was afraid and fled for his life.

1 Kings 19:9 (NLT) There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:10 (NLT)  Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you…  I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

1 Kings 19:15, 18 (NLT) The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came… Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

            These noted verses compose a very scant highlighting of a rather detailed and interesting time in the life of the prophet Elijah. If you are unfamiliar with it, I encourage you to read the entire passage of 1 Kings chapters 18-19 for background. Humor me while I oversimplify a bit. Basically after facing hundreds of evildoers (850 according to v. 18:19) and doing so successfully; one little naysayer (Jezebel, 19:1-2) makes a threat, and Elijah turns tail and runs. Now to be clear, he had just defeated nearly a thousand wicked men with the Lord’s might—yet he is terrified and subdued by a single threat.

            When I see the history of the LORD taking down a nation in the Old Testament scriptures, it is usually because the entire nation is failing to worship God alone. And we know from history that God often chose the unlikely or humble to do amazing things.

So how does this affect us? God sees the whole scope of time and events, not merely our perspective of not-so-great 2020. I have written often as of late about the fact that we are probably so isolated that we fail to realize just how many Christians are out there in our nation—feeling just like Elijah (and like us)—“I’m the only one left.” Yet, in the case of Elijah, the Lord reminds him that there are 7,000 (in excess of 7 times the number of wicked people he just defeated) who are faithful, ready, and waiting to serve the Lord.

Now let’s be bold enough to translate that into today’s events. Recently, 72+ MILLION people voted for the candidate who promised to “make America One Nation Under God, again” and to keep “In God We Trust” as our nation’s theme. Unfortunately, when the naysayers came out, probably 71.9 Million shifted back into neutral and quit praying, all the while cheerfully singing Doris Day’s “Que, Sera, Sera” (whatever will be, will be). Yes, I realize I’m quite possibly exaggerating, but then again, I may not be too far off the mark. Do you really think you are all alone? The enemy is right to keep practices of isolation in place as long as possible. It’s like the 1998 Pixar movie “A Bug’s Life” folks, because when we finally figure out that the ants far outnumber the grasshoppers, maybe we’ll find our courage again.

Gracious Heavenly Father,

How easy it is for us to lose hope and to lose courage. How easy it is for us to cower in the midst of naysayers and settle back in defeat. And yet, you are the Lord God Almighty. You are in control. We are not alone. We are a nation of people who still desires to be One Nation Under God.  We number in the millions. Renew our strength. Renew our courage. Renew our resolve to place you first in all things.

In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, Amen.