January 30 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Elijah experienced a spiritual high at Mount Carmel. He heard the people shout, “The Lord! He is God!” A few days later, however, he is at Mount Sinai feeling totally despondent and oblivious to the Lord’s work. When the Lord asks him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” he responds, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Elijah says he is very zealous for the Lord. But what does he mean by that? The Hebrew word he uses has two aspects: to be jealous and to have zeal. One who is jealous is intolerant of any disloyalty. One who is zealous is fervent and sincere in following a particular course of action. The Bible not only speaks of a jealousy for the Lord but also the jealousy of the Lord. God strives to meet the interests of His people, but is intolerant of any disloyalty. The jealousy of the Lord is provoked when His people serve idols or worship Him in their own manner. He will not tolerate the profaning of His name. Since God’s cause is ours we must be zealous and jealous for the Lord; the zeal of the Lord is the foundation of our zeal for the Lord.

At the same place where the Lord made Himself known as a jealous God, Elijah pours out his complaint. Elijah has been very zealous but his work seems so senseless. At Mount Sinai the Lord confirms that He is and remains a jealous God. The Lord gives Elijah a lesson on what His zeal is all about, but in a different way than expected. Elijah had expected that God’s judgment would be the answer to God’s zeal. God, however, reveals that His jealousy includes His grace. Elijah may not opt out because the Lord in His zeal is still gathering His church.

A spiritual high can quickly turn into a “hangover” when something negative deflates our enthusiasm. May our zeal for the Lord never send us spiralling into spiritual depression. Our mission is not about success or being well-liked and appreciated. The gospel will be received by some and rejected by others. May we remain zealous for God’s service through every situation.