You’re Not Alone

<p>&ldquo;So great to see you!&rdquo; &ldquo;You, too!&rdquo; &ldquo;So glad you&rsquo;re here!&rdquo; The greetings were warm and welcoming. Members of a ministry in Southern California gathered online before their evening program. As their speaker, calling in from Colorado, I watched silently as the others gathered on the video call&mdash;not knowing anyone and, as an introvert, feeling like a social outsider. Then suddenly, a screen opened and there was my pastor. Then another screen opened. A longtime church friend was joining the call, too. Seeing them, I no longer felt alone. God, it seemed, had sent support.</p> <p>Elijah wasn&rsquo;t alone either, despite feeling like &ldquo;the only [prophet] left&rdquo; after fleeing the wrath of Jezebel and Ahab (1 Kings 19:10). Journeying through desert wilderness for forty days and forty nights, Elijah hid in a cave on Mount Horeb. But God called him back into service, telling him, &ldquo;Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael&nbsp;king over Aram. Also, anoint&nbsp;Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha&nbsp;son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah&nbsp;to succeed you as prophet&rdquo; (vv. 15&ndash;16).</p> <p>God then assured him, &ldquo;Yet I reserve&nbsp;seven thousand in Israel&mdash;all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed&nbsp;him&rdquo; (v. 18). As Elijah learned, while serving God we don&rsquo;t serve alone. As God brings help, we&rsquo;ll serve together.</p>