Loving God, even your strongest servants can get worn down and discouraged.  By the power of your Spirit, grant us all that is needed to renew and empower us for ministry, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            Over the past number of weeks, we have heard stories about people from Abraham to Solomon – all of whom were called by God into lives of service.  Some of them did better than others at actually being faithful in their calling, and some of them exhibited behaviour that was – shall we say – less than stellar.  The Bible, however, is stubbornly honest about human sinfulness, even in those people who end up doing great things for God.

         Today, we hear about Elijah – called to be a prophet and to speak God’s word to the people.  Today also happens to be All Saints Sunday.  Saints, at least in the Lutheran tradition, are all those who have been baptized into Christ.  In fact, it is God who makes us holy through our union with Jesus.  However, as Luther famously pointed out, all of us are both saints and sinners, all wrapped up into one.  We are saved because of Jesus’ righteousness, and not by how perfect we can be.  This is, indeed, good news!  

There is hope for us all when we hear about the people through whom God has worked – people who have their frailties and their failings, just like us.  When it comes to Elijah, he does not exhibit the unfaithfulness that others have fallen into.  However, it soon becomes clear that he is only human – just like the rest of us.  It is important to know that, before we ever get to today’s reading, God has worked through Elijah to do great things.  He has performed miracles, raised the dead, and has delivered God’s word to King Ahab.  He also prevailed in the great contest with the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, as God sends fire from heaven in order to show the people that there is only one God who truly has power.

         However, when we come to today’s reading, Elijah is exhausted, fearful, discouraged, and has quite simply had enough.  Jezebel has threatened to kill him, which seems to be the last straw.  He ends up in the wilderness of Judah, sitting under a tree, asking God to just let him die.  God, however, has other plans.

         Rather than assenting to Elijah’s death wish, God provides him with sleep and with food and drink.  This gives Elijah the strength to make the journey to Mt. Horeb, where he spends the night in a cave.  It is there that Elijah experiences the presence of God – not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire, but in “a sound of sheer silence” (1 Ki. 19:12).  Ultimately, it is this experience of the presence of God that gives Elijah the strength to continue, as God sends him off with a new mission.

         This story is a word of hope for all those who find themselves exhausted, or discouraged, or fearful.  It reminds us that God knows what we need – rest, food and drink, time, and experiencing the presence of God.  It also reminds us how distorted our thinking gets when we have reached the end of our rope.

         Twice in today’s reading, Elijah complains that he has been very zealous for God, even though the Israelites have not listened.  He also says that he is the only one left – the only one who has remained faithful to God.  However, it turns out that he only feels as if he’s the only one left, for there are seven thousand Israelites who have not worshiped Baal.

         We also hear in today’s reading how Elijah thinks that he is no better than his ancestors.  He has developed a very low opinion of himself and doesn’t feel that he is up to the task of leading God’s people.  This, too, is a distorted view of reality, as this is the same Elijah who is considered to be the greatest of all of the prophets.  In fact, in the Orthodox tradition, he is known as St. Elijah – for he, along with St. Moses, appeared on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus.

         Our thinking, too, becomes distorted when we think too little of ourselves, or become fearful and discouraged and exhausted.  We tell ourselves that we are not up to the task – that we are all alone – that people would be better off without us.  However, just as with Elijah, God knows what we need.  God also knows that after rest and sustenance, the knowledge that God accompanies us on the journey and has given us many brothers and sisters in Christ in the communion of saints, will sustain and empower us for the ministry that lies ahead.

         Certainly, we remain both saints and sinners.  However, through our baptism into Christ, God has claimed us as precious children, saved us, and forgiven us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Now, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).  Amen.

All Saints Sunday (NL 4)                1 Kings 19:1-18

November 7, 2021

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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