'I've Had Enough , Lord. I've Had Enough, Lord'

A Sermon for Trinity 10

Prayer: Heavenly Father may your word be our rule, your Spirit our Teacher, and your glory our intent; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Text I Kings 19.4-8

'I've had enough , Lord. I've had enough, Lord'.

These are words of a man not simply despondent under the pressures of life; but a man quite at the end of his tether. They speak of someone who has done his best to escape the situation he's in, who now, through mental or physical pressures, or maybe both, feels unable to see any way out from the situation he's in. They are words spoken in desperation. Words that have found their echo from other's lips, at bleak, black moments in their lives. They are spoken by Elijah in our OT lesson.

Recall the story. At the centre is the King's wife, Jezebel. There has been, quite frankly, a power struggle going on between Elijah the prophet of the Lord, and Jezebel. Do not be misled by this woman's name. Today the name Jezebel is used to denote a woman of 'loose morals'. This is way off the character as presented to us in the OT. The marriage of Jezebel to king Ahab had been a political alliance. She has been described as a 'strong, domineering character, self willed and forceful'1 A fanatical follower of the god Baal, she built up her staff to include 450 Baal prophets and 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah. She wanted at least equal rights for her god Baal as those given to Yahweh, God of Israel. This brought her into direct conflict with the prophet Elijah. A battle between Yahweh and Baal was fought on Mount Carmel, when Yahweh triumphed gloriously.2 (You remember the story?) The Baal prophets were put to death; Jezebel vowed vengeance on Elijah; and Elijah fled for his life into the desert near Beersheba.

Elijah’s elation at the Mount Carmel victory rapidly evaporates, and exhausted and fearful for his life, he collapses under a juniper3 tree and prays that he might die. 'I've had enough, Lord'. It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to understand this cry of anguish. How many times has it been repeated down the years? Maybe you have used these words yourself when you're at your 'wits end', even suicidal. We have only to think of the terrible suffering, individuals and groups have experience, both down the years and also at this present time, to imagine exactly these words springing to their lips.

1 The New Bible Dictionary IVF 2 1 Kings 18.17-40 3 More properly a white Broom tree which can grow to 20ft tall

1 But this is not simply a cry of despair; it is a prayer. Admittedly a prayer coming from a soul crushed by circumstances. But Elijah sits down and prays 'I've had enough, Lord'. And as he lays down under the tree, sleep comes upon him, and the next thing he knows is a touch on his shoulder, and a voice saying 'Get up and eat'. A cake of bread baked on hot coals, and a jar of fresh water await him. After eating, he falls asleep a second time, again to be invited once more, 'Get up and eat'.

The compilers of the lectionary have done well to lay this story alongside the 'Feeding of the Five Thousand' in John's Gospel. Last week we were reminded of the manna that was eaten in the desert, and the infinitely more compelling invitation to eat of the bread of heaven given by our Lord to His disciples. The Gospel for today picks up the account again with Jesus declaring 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'4

Elijah resting and eating leads on to one of the most striking revelations in the OT. Elijah has travelled on to Horeb5, the mountain of God. He tells again of his fear of death, and is told to stand on the mountain side to experience the presence of God, for, he is told, 'the Lord is about to pass by'. There comes a great and powerful wind that tears the mountain apart and shatters rocks; but the Lord is not in the wind; then an earthquake but the Lord is not in the earthquake. Then a destructive fire, but the Lord is not in the fire. Finally a still small voice: a gentle whisper in the silence. It is in this that Elijah meets God. Elijah's fear is removed, not by a show of God's power and might. It is removed by an immeasurable moment of peace and calm tranquillity.

It is strange that here in this moment when we are on the brink of understanding about eternal life, and the route that led us there has to do with eating and drinking. But perhaps not so strange. For we are creatures made of flesh and blood. We encounter the spiritual there in the midst of satisfying hunger and thirst. Maybe we British are not so eccentric after all that we say to the friend in need; 'come and have a cup of tea with me'!

Our Lord's most profound teaching was given to His disciples over an intimate supper together: the last supper when the disciples were taught eternal truths that would take them through to the moment they would receive the Holy Spirit, another Counsellor who would walk the way with them. Our risen Lord, meeting His disciples by the sea of Tiberius, for the first time in His resurrected state, says 'bring some fish; come and have breakfast.'.

4 John 6.35 5 1 Kings 19.8 ff

2 It was on the road to Emmaus that Jesus is urged to come and stay with the two disciples, and breaking bread at the table reveals Himself as the resurrected Lord. Food and revelation again. In a little while we will receive bread and wine. We will be reminded of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. In a simple act we will take the elements, eat and drink. In faith we draw on the strength of our Lord, and in so doing we become part of the mystery of receiving eternal life and are united in and with Him. Amen ES