Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

The Holy Spirit woke me up repeating Pastor Steven Furtick’s wisdom to, get alone with God to align with Him. Then He added, resting in God precedes being assigned by Him.

Today’s scripture, 1 Kings 19:8-9, 14-18 (NLT) says…
[8] So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. [9] There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
[14] He replied again, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” [15] Then the LORD told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. [16] Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. [17] Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! [18] Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

Consider…
When the Holy Spirit woke me with today’s message, I was sure He would lead me to one of the many moments of Jesus stilling away to pray.

As I wrote that and recalled the prophet Elijah’s journey in today’s scripture, the Holy Spirit hit play on an old negro spiritual that says…

Steal away, steal away,
Steal away to Jesus.
Steal away, steal away home.
I ain’t got long to stay here.

My Lord, he calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain’t got long to stay here.

Green trees are bending,
Poor sinners stand a-trembling;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain’t got long to stay here.

My Lord, he calls me,
He calls me by the lightning;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain’t got long to stay here.

The song vividly describes getting away to Jesus for refuge from a storm you’re in. That’s what Elijah did in today’s scripture, when he was afraid for his life because of the bounty a scorned Queen Jezebel placed on head. Our passage says…
So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

Elijah’s forty day journey made me recall Jesus’ pre-ministry boot camp. Matthew 4:1-2, 11 (NLT) said…
[1] Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. [2] For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.
[11] Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit explained the purpose of fasting is to hear from God, thus we didn’t read Jesus prayed, just that He fasted. Jesus was led into the Wilderness to hear, not speak to God.

Funny, despite Elijah’s motives, God’s purpose for leading Elijah into His presence was also so that he could hear rather than speak to God.

Could it be that God allows us to go through wilderness experiences to tire us out so that He can get our full attention and hear what He wants us to know or do.

You see, when Jesus was very hungry and undoubtedly tired, God used the opportunity to show Him how to handle being weakened physically and tempted spiritually, which is standing on, and obeying God’s word.

And as for Elijah, after he rested in God’s presence, he told the LORD’s anointing assignments.

Here’s the epiphany that the Holy Spirit gave me, resting is a posture of humility. And hearing happens best in humbleness.

Think about it, it’s easiest to hear from God when we’re the quietest, which is usually being at rest.

I would be remis if I didn’t take Elijah’s experience as an opportunity to point out in the midst of our distress we should always seek to steal away into God’s presence for rest.

Psalms 118:5-9 (NLT) shows us how…
[5] In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free. [6] The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? [7] Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. [8] It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people. [9] It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

Fortunately we don’t have to travel forty days and nights through a wilderness to get alone with God, we can just pause where we are and pray. But there’s a key ingredient that we must include in our prayers, which Elijah and Jesus showed us, that is trust in God more than what we see or feel.

It’s true that Elijah fled to die, but notice he went to be alone with God.

That shows me, it’s human to be afraid or discouraged, it’s just a question of where that leads us. Today, let Jonathan McReynolds’ lyrics inspire you…

May your struggles keep you near the cross
And may your troubles show that you need God
And may your battles end the way they should
And may your bad days prove that God is good
And may your whole life prove that God is good

See, may your struggles keep you near the cross
And may your troubles show that you need God
And may your battles end the way they should
And may your bad days prove that God is good
See, may your whole life prove that God is good

Now when you get alone with God remember to listen to what He wants you to know and do for Him.

God speaks best when we’re physically exhausted to the point of rest.

However the Holy Spirit is showing me that we don’t have to be like Jonah and wait until exhaustion and fish rest to fully listen to and obey God, we can remain in an attentive posture of spiritual rest and follow His will and way from the first time He speaks.

It’s best to live at rest in God to hear, trust and obey His will and way for you.

Just as I was about to close, the Holy Spirit gave me another epiphany. Rest is the bridge between what’s been done to what’s next to do. The point was made that after God finished creation He rested, and let it start fulfilling His purposes.

The visual that the Holy Spirit gave me was baking a cake, after the prep and baking, people know to let it sit before serving. That sitting before serving is the rest before fulfilling it’s purpose for being made, which is the enjoyment of it’s creator.

We’re just like that cake, God will prepare us allow us to complete one assignment, and then let us rest in Him before giving us the next one.

Stay mindful that whatever God has next for you do will be be bridged by rest from what’s He’s already done through you.

Hope this post helps you rest in God easy while you attentively wait for His next assignment.

Today’s song is…
I Won’t Move

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)