DAY 11

DATE: 1/11/2013

Good Morning!  My name is Mike Cervik and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of I Kings chapters 18-19.

KEY VERSE: I Kings 19:4  But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

REFLECTIONS:  Reading these passages made me think of how quickly we can become discouraged or lose faith in our lives.  Sometimes even the most faithful people become depressed and can feel as if they are all alone.  Here we have Elijah, one of God’s faithful prophets.  He is sent to present himself to Ahab and prove to him that only the Lord is God.  He experiences two great spiritual victories:  the defeat of the prophets of Baal and the answered prayer for rain.  Elijah should be feeling like he is on top of the world.  However, after Jezebel threatens his life, Elijah flees and becomes discouraged and asks the Lord to take his life.  Thankfully, the Lord led Elijah out of his depression and confronted him with the need to return to his mission of spreading God’s word in Israel. 

APPLICATION: Many of us get depressed even when things might be going well in our lives.  When we get this way, we tend to focus on OUR shortcomings or weaknesses.  We tend to focus on ourselves and not God.  Just as the Lord spoke to Elijah and got him back on track, God is speaking to us too.  All we have to do is listen.

Thank you for being a part of the Route 66 Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day.

 

In Christ,

Mike Cervik

 

WHEN YOU GOT SAVED:  4th grade

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE:  Psalms 119:105

FAMILY:  Jenny, Norah, and Nathan

OCCUPATION:  Firefighter/Paramedic

MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT AT VBC:  Security team

DREAM VACATION:  Anywhere there aren’t cornfields

HOBBIES:  Running