Sunday Sermon - Emotional Treadmill

The reading for this morning sermon came from Galations 3:23-29 which says:-


Children of God

23 Before the coming of this faith,[j] we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

And 1 Kings 19:1-4 & 8-16 which says:-


Elijah Flees to Horeb

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

3 Elijah was afraid[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”


8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.

Many of us feel like we're on an emotional treadmill. Life moves faster and faster and it can be difficult to keep up. Some people get thrown off and can't figure out how to get back on.

Elijah's passion was bringing people back to God, but he got worn out with all the effort.

After his victory against the prophets of Baal he was on a high, but that didn't last long after Jezebel's threat. Instead of praying, as he usually did, he ran away. Fear got the better of him.

When you feel that you can't go on then use God's prescription for recovery.

1. Rest - sometimes we just need to get away from it all, our bodies were designed to need rest, don't be afraid to slow down and take time out.
2. Rediscover God - God can help you with all your troubles. You need to come out of your cave and rediscover Him. Emotionally downshift and shut out noise of life. You need to be quiet to hear Him.
3. Re-assignment - Elijah was given a new assignment. Sometime you need a fresh start.
4. Relationships - God has put into all of us the for relationships. We shouldn't try to go through life alone. Sometimes the best medicine is to find someone to share the burden. God sent Elijah to Elisha.

God wants us to reach out to Him so that He can adjust the speed of our lives.

Does your life need a speed adjustment? The ask God to help.

May God bless you richly this week.

Richard.