Greetings sis Reis, et al;
Once again we are blessed by mr. Hawker's wisdom and thoughtful
comments. Elijah was a great and mighty man of GOD but he also
demonstrated that he was but weak in the flesh as he fled in fear from
Jezebel's threats, even though the LORD had used him mightly to manifest
HIS glory on Mount Carmel as he routed the prophets of Baal making a
mockery of them. None of those whom the LORD sends to perform HIS work
have any strength at all in themselves. THey are undergirded with HIS
power and kept by HIS faithfulness. Indeed the /"journey is too
great"/, but HE who sends the prophet will provide him with what he
needs. Great is THY faithfulness O GOD our FATHER, there is no shadow
of turning with THEE, THOU changest not, THY compassions they fail not,
as THOU hast been THOU forever shall be. Great is THY faithfulness LORD
unto me.
Blessings, mike
On 12/2/2022 1:59 PM, Soraya Reis wrote:
*"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. 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." 1 Kings 19:7, 8 *
*How blessed is it to observe, in the several instances of God's people, that the Lord measures out strength in proportion to their wants, and fits every back for the burden. The prophet was obliged to flee from the king's court, but the King of kings will give him a table in the wilderness. Elijah shall be taught at one time, how to live by faith, when fed by ravens; and at another, how to go forty days and forty nights without food, when sustained by grace in going to Horeb. *
*My soul, canst not thou find in thy experience, similar exercises of faith; if not so splendid, yet at least no less profitable? Hath not Jesus many a time fed thee at his banqueting house, and made thy cup run over, when telling thee, in some sweet communion visit, either at his table or thine own, either in the church or in the closet, how suited his grace is for thee, and that his strength is perfected in thy weakness? And hath not Jesus, as in the instance of Elijah, touched thee a second time, yea, and a third, and many a time; and laid in refreshments for thee, against the coming hour of trial, when the journey of spiritual exercises, that were to follow, would otherwise have been too great for thee? Knowest thou nothing of these things? *
*Surely, in such trainings as these, the Lord is as much leading on his people now, as he did of old. Doth he come in a full tide of glory, and shew himself to be Jesus, and open to our spiritual sight his pierced hands, and his side? Doth he come into the soul as the King of glory, openly manifesting his refreshing, his comforting, his strengthening, his loving presence; and at the same time, opening our eyes and hearts to receive him; so that the soul is made joyful, and brought as into the very suburbs of heaven?— Mark what follows: perhaps, as in the case of the prophet, a long abstinence is to follow. Jesus hath therefore laid in a store of comforts. He hath victualled the ship. He hath fortified the garrison. "The just shall live by faith." *
*Precious Jesus! give me to live on thee, when all outward comforts fail. In fulness or in famine, in life or death, if I have thee, I have enough to live upon, and in thy strength to go forty days and forty nights; yea, for ever, to the mount of God in glory!*
*Robert Hawker (1753-1827) *
