“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He cam 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.’ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once and angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around and there by his head was some break baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then he lay down again” (1 Kings 17:3-6).

Reflecting about this passage, Joy Clarkson writes:

One time in the Bible Elijah was like, “God, I am so mad! I want to die!” So God said, “Here’s some food. Why don’t you take a nap?”
So Elijah slept, ate, and decided things weren’t so bad.
Never underestimate the spiritual power of a nap and a snack.

I love that. Joy Clarkson is my kind of gal. I love a good snack and a good nap!

You see, we don’t make very good decisions when we are stressed, tired, and hungry. In fact, that’s a recipe for ensuring making terrible decisions. We can’t think straight when we are stressed, tired, or hungry. You combine all three? Gee! That’s disastrous decisions guaranteed.

Two take aways:

1. Get regular rest. Eat on a regular schedule. Take naps! Jesus napped. We should too!
2. When stressed, tired, hungry – NEVER EVER make life altering decisions. Instead, grab a snack and sleep on it.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Have you ever heard anyone say, “It’s okay not to be okay”?

That’s actually a truer statement than most realize. That’s right. This is a great place to start. We don’t have to pretend that we’re something or someone we are not. What you see is what you get. This is the right place to start.

• If we’re messed up, it’s okay to admit that.
• If our lives are messed up, it’s okay to admit that.
• If you’re not doing too well, it’s okay to admit that.

That’s the right place to start. You start with where you’re at. You cannot build a desirable future based on lies. You can only build your desirable future based on facts.

BUT…it’s not okay to stay there.

Do you think Jesus died on the cross, and to pay the debt of sin in hell just so you and I can be not okay? Come on!

Jesus died on the cross so that we might truly start living. And, while it is perfectly fine to start at a place where you admit that things are not okay, because of all that Jesus has done for us, it is not okay to stay there!

So, get your life started. Really start living your life, the way God meant your life to live. Jesus paid a high price so we can have that opportunity.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

You can’t get more exclusive than that.

The way. The truth. The life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

That’s where so many people have issues with Jesus. It’s this definite article thing. It’s the “No other way to the Father except through me” thing.

But, here’s the thing: what if that really is the only way? What if no other pathways will ever free sinners from the bondage of sin?

Remember, the invitation to receive Jesus is open to all sinners. The invitation is the most inclusive there is. You can’t get more inclusive than that.

AND God makes it clear that the only pathway to eternal life is through Jesus. God created the world. Only God gets to make the rules.

The reason why I am still alive today is because more than twenty years ago they sawed my rib cage in half and performed open heart surgery. That was pretty invasive. That really hurt. But that was the only way I could live. I had no other choice.

Jesus makes it clear. When it comes to freedom from sin, there is no other way than receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.

That’s good news. God welcomes all. Jews, Hindus, Arabs, Muslims, Buddhists. All sinners. And the only way to free ourselves from sin and its grip is Jesus.