“Then the LORD gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.” (1 Kings 18:46). In this Old Testament story, Elijah outruns King Ahab’s chariot. Chariots represent the strength of man.
Chariots signify speed, accomplishment, and domination. Yet, Elijah outran the chariots. You may think that Elijah must have really been ‘in the zone’ at that great moment. But the fact is, Elijah was so discouraged and despairing, he was ready to give up. Even though he had just been used by God to defeat and destroy 450 prophets of Baal, he made a 180 degree turn, and ran for his life when Jezebel threatened to kill him. Running to the desert, he sat down and prayed “Lord, I’ve had enough; just let me die.” (I Kings 19:4).
How is it that no matter how much God shows His power in our lives, we, like Elijah, so easily turn away when our feats are followed by defeats, and we say I’ve had enough? These are the times when God simply wants us to relinquish control and believe in His power, having confidence in God's promise “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9). If only we could abide in that truth, we would be able to outrun the chariots.
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