11 August 2024 - Proper 14, Year B

Theme

This week’s readings speak about the strength that we need for the journey of faith and where we get that strength from. In John, Jesus declares that he is only able to do what the Father authorizes. In Ephesians, Paul explains that we are able to resist sin and forgive others because Christ first forgave us. In 1 Kings, after a depressive episode, Elijah is strengthened by rest and food. The Psalmist declares that those who take refuge in God are blessed.

Scripture Readings

  • John 6:35, 41-51 - The Jews in the crowd are angry because Jesus referred to himself as the Bread that came down from heaven. They knew Jesus merely as the son of Joseph and Mary who they knew well. Jesus reiterates that God sent him and draws all people to him. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God. Jesus says that even those who ate the manna in the wilderness died. But those who eat of Jesus, the Living Bread, will have eternal life.
  • Ephesians 4:25-5:2 - Paul encourages the church is Ephesus to speak truthfully to each other. He then mentions several unhelpful things that they must not do anymore: sin in anger, steal, talk unwholesomly, grieve the Holy Spirit, be bitter, brawl, or slander. Rather they must be kind an compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, as Christ forgave them.
  • 1 Kings 19:4-8 - Elijah retreats into the wilderness, sits below a tree and prays that he might die. He fell asleep and when awoke, an angel told him to go and eat. He discovered some bread and water near him. He ate and lay down again. A second time, an angel told him to get up and eat for the journey is too much for you. Strengthened by that food, he traveled for 40 days and nights to the mountain of Horeb.
  • Psalm 34:1-8 - The Psalmist (presumably David) praises God. God answered him when he sought God. Blessed are those who take refuge in God.

Personal Application

This week’s passage from 1 Kings is one of my favourite biblical stories. The prophet Elijah is having a rough time and decides to retreat into the wilderness. He sits under a tree and asks God to let him die. Many scholars think that Elijah may have suffered with depression. Many folk who struggle with depression relate deeply to Elijah’s experience in this passage. Sometimes, when life feels overwhelming, many have wondered if it wouldn’t be better to not be alive in their mess any longer.

Elijah ends up falling asleep and when he awakes, an angel gives him food to eat. Elijah eats and then goes back to sleep. The next time he awakes, the angel gives him more food which strengthens him for his next journey. What I love about this story is that Elijah never experienced some miraculous instant healing. In fact, we know that he still struggled with depressive episodes later in his life as well. What did help Elijah in this moment was having his immediate needs cared for. He was tired and hungry and he was given rest and food.

Too often when people suffer from real struggles like mental illness in the world today, Christians are quick to say that they just need to pray harder and God will relieve their pain and “fix” them. I do think that prayer is important in these situations and God can certainly perform miraculous healings, but Elijah’s story reminds us that caring for our physical needs is also important. Sometimes the most holy thing we can do to care for ourselves is to take a nap and have a good, healthy meal.

Why do you think the angel encouraged Elijah to eat and rest when he was feeling so distressed? Have you noticed the value of nutrition and rest in your own life? Do you believe that God cares about your physical needs?

Communal Application

As churches and Christians, we are quick to tell people what they should avoid doing. We name and preach against people's sins often. But we forget that almost every time Jesus and the apostle Paul spoke about “managing sin,” they encouraged people to stay connected to God.

It is barely ever helpful to just tell people to not do certain things. But when we remind people that they have been saved from their sin and by staying connected to God they will be less inclined to live in sinful ways, they may feel more encouraged and less condemned.

When Paul listed several sins that people need to avoid, he reminded them that they can only do this because Christ first forgave their sins. When Jesus spoke about being the Bread from Heaven, he said that everything he does flows from his connection to the Father.

How do you deal with “sin management” in your life? Do you find it helpful to try and avoid certain sins or do you find that as you stay connected to God your tendencies to sin naturally decrease?

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