2 Kings 3:18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.

The Books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings continue to tell the stories of the kings of Judah and Israel. Most of the kings did evil in the eyes of the Lord and brought calamity upon their kingdoms. However, some, often at the prompting of the great prophets of that time, repented and attempted to right the listing kingdoms.

Moab rebelled against Israel. Joined by Edom and Judah, Israel sent an army through the Desert of Edom to attack Moab. However, they soon ran completely out of water. With no hope of making it out of the desert, the kings of the united armies sought a word of the Lord from Elisha, the prophet.

Elisha reminded them that providing water was a small matter to the Lord and the army of Moab was not a big thing to God. The smallness of our situation compared to the bigness of God is a reoccurring theme in the Bible. In fact, if I was to wrap up what I believe is the underlying message of the Old Testament in a statement single statement, I would say it is: “God is big!” Over and over the Old Testament stories demonstrate how big God is. He is bigger than Pharaoh. He is bigger than the Red Sea. He is bigger than any enemy. He is bigger than any situation, circumstance, sin or sickness that you may find yourself in. Whatever, your worries, it is an easy matter to God.

1 Kings 19:9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah had confronted King Ahab; shamed the followers of Baal; caused the people of Israel to fall on their faces and proclaim that the Lord is God; and killed 450 prophets of Baal. Then fear overcame him and he fled to the desert.

Indeed, what doubt crept into Elijah that he had taken flight? The Lord is not quizzing Elijah because He doesn’t know what happened. Nor do I think He is rebuking him for his frailties. The Lord asks him why is he here so Elijah may reflect upon his own situation.

The Lord shows empathy for Elijah as He tells him the “journey is too much for you.” He has an angel supply him with food and water. He tells Elijah to rest. Finally, in the verses ahead, the Lord speaks to Elijah in a small still voice that gives him instruction; encourages him to proceed with his mission; explains that help is on the way and gives him hope for the future.

Sometimes we feel spent, discouraged, beaten, overwhelmed and simply that the journey is too much for us. But just as He was there for Elijah, the Lord God is ready to give us rest, nourish our souls, shore us up and go forth with us each step of the journey ahead. We have hope for the future.

1 Kings 18:1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”

The background of this verse: Elijah was a prophet of God. Ahab was King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and had done some really bad stuff. Though compared to his wife Jezebel, he was almost a choirboy. Anyway, Elijah told Ahab that God wasn’t happy and there would be no rain in the land for a long time. That didn’t make Ahab happy, to put it mildly. Elijah took off and hid because by normal thinking, Ahab and Jezebel were not people the average Israelite would want to anger. (Jezebel had already put to death a whole bunch of God’s prophets).

Elijah hid in a dry land living at first by food birds brought him and then living with a poor widow and her child. FINALLY, God tells him, He will send rain, but first Elijah must go meet with Ahab.

Sometimes when we make a commitment to do the Godly or the right thing, the situation appears to get worse. We might feel like we are just barely getting by, or are stuck in a dry place. Then… when we hear from God, He wants us to do exactly what we have been most trying to avoid!

I remember seeing a magazine ad for Johnny Walker Black. It was a picture of an office building at night. Only a few lights were lit on the lower floors. There were more lights spiraling up the building to the top floor, where all the lights were lit. The caption stated, “As you move up, the work doesn’t get easier, but the rewards get better.”

As we move on in God’s Kingdom, things don’t usually get easier, but the reward at the top floor is out of this world.