Yesterday I had major surgery for back pain. It was originally scheduled to take place just after Christmas, in January. Some people were praying that I might avoid surgery altogether and be healed before then, so I faced a dilemma. On the one hand, I wanted to have faith to believe God would heal me, but on the other hand, I felt a need to take practical steps, make meals for the freezer, and organize my life around the scheduled date of surgery. I struggled to know just how to balance faith and reason as I waited.
Elijah was a powerful prophet of God. In 1 Kings 18, he called down fire from heaven and boldly confronted the prophets of Baal. But right after that, he suddenly ran away in the face of death threats from Queen Jezebel. He struggled to know how to balance trusting God and taking practical steps to preserve his own life.
The prophet ran and ran and ran until at last he collapsed in the desert. There he waited. He even prayed, “Lord, take my life! I’ve had enough!” Elijah fell asleep and when he woke up, he found God had provided fresh bread, baking on hot stones nearby. While the prophet rested, God took care of all the practical needs.
The Lord knows that you have human needs for sleep, for food, for safety. And while you wait, he will provide all you need. [Editor husband Gene: the surgery went well.]
