Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
A Fish Out of Water
Today's Verse:
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? ~1 Kings 19:9
Fish are creatures that function only in water. They cannot process oxygen as land animals with lungs can. They thrive only in an aquatic environment. Thus, the phrase “a fish out of water” describes a person who is not where he best thrives and is in a situation that is foreign and possibly harmful to him. Elijah had gone from being on top of the mountain to being at the bottom in the mud. He had gone from being a victor over his circumstances to being in the valley of suffering. He went from having power with God to where he had no power over his spirit. This morning, we are considering what happens when a Christian becomes like a fish out of water.
Elijah was out of focus.
Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah for the death of her false prophets. She was unmoved by what God did through him. Her threat unnerved him, and he fled for his life. Elijah somehow developed a wrong perception of how God would work on his behalf. He did not see any value in living any longer. He did not see any value in serving God after Jezebel’s threat. He assumed that he had failed God and was a failure like his forefathers. He assumed God would manifest Himself through a firestorm or an earthquake. He assumed that he was the only prophet left standing for God. He assumed God had forsaken him and left him to be hunted as an animal. When we flee from our responsibilities, it is easy for us to be out of focus.
Elijah was out of fellowship.
Elijah rose and went for his life. He ran to Beersheba which was the southernmost tip of Judah. He proceeded from there into the wilderness where he knew Jezebel would not look for him. More than running from Jezebel, he was running from his fellowship with God. He did not go looking for God, but it was God Who was looking for him. He continued his journey to where he had traveled for 40 days and nights until he came to Mount Horeb. Once he arrived there, he found a cave where he decided to hide himself in complete seclusion. We are a fish out of water when we are not in fellowship with God.
Elijah was out of faith.
In 1 Kings 17-18, we see an Elijah who is a man of faith. We see faith all over his praying. We see faith all over his circumstances. We see faith all over his confrontation with the false prophets and Ahab. In 1 Kings 19, he takes matters into his own hands. He was in such deep depression that he was just living a survival life instead of a spiritual life. He was a man with no direction. He was a man without drive. He was a man with no devotion. Faith looks for a city whose builder and maker is God. Elijah was looking for an escape and hideaway for his fears and discouragement. When faith is gone, doubt sets in. When faith is gone, unbelief rules our hearts and minds. When there is no faith, God is not pleased. We are a fish out of water when we lack in faith.
Elijah was out of his function.
Elijah basically quit on God. In spirit, he was running from his responsibilities as a prophet of God. Everyone gets discouraged. How we handle our discouragement determines our effectiveness. Elijah’s actions and words strongly indicate that he no longer desired to do what he was called to do. God never decommissioned him. Elijah decommissioned himself based on wrong perceptions. Once we cease from our calling and responsibilities, we are like a fish out of water.
So, how do we rectify the situation? Let God take back control of your life just as He did with Elijah. “Go, return on thy way....” Get some rest, replenish your soul and body, come out of the cave of seclusion, stop pitching a pity party, and invest in other people. Go from being a fish out of water to being a fish swimming in water!
Have a revitalized God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Isaiah 23-27
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