1 KINGS 19:5-6: Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and
said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a
jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.
A missionary passed a field where lepers were at work. He noticed two in particular who were sowing
peas. Because of their disease, one had no hands and the other had no feet. The one who lacked
hands, however, was carrying upon his back the other who had no feet.
He, in turn, carried the bag of seed and dropped a pea every now and then, which the other pressed
into the ground with his feet. Together they got the job done, something neither could do by himself.
Elijah was equally pressed into cooperation with an angel of the Lord. The angel provided food and
water, but it was Elijah who had to “arise and eat.” While God made sure that Elijah received what he
lacked, He was not about to spoon-feed the prophet.
Elijah had to eat for himself. It was when he worked together with the angel, each doing his part, that
Elijah received the nourishment and strength he needed for the task before him.
Christians tend to fall into one of two extremes: either we expect God to do it all, or we feel like the
whole load is on our shoulders and we burn out trying to do more than we should. In reality, the
Christian life is a matter of cooperation.
As God’s Spirit works to produce Christ’s character in our lives, we work to allow that character to be
reflected in the things we say and do. Together we bring glory to the Father.
Take a few moments to reflect on your Christian life. Are you trying to do it all? Are you sitting back
and expecting God to do everything? Or are you working together with the Holy Spirit to accomplish
in and through you the will of your Heavenly Father? Remember, God provides, but we “arise and
eat.”
WHAT GOD SUPPLIES, WE MUST APPLY.