PLACING OUR FACE BETWEEN OUR KNEES
"So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees." (1 Kings 18:42.)
The incidents that cluster about this rich text of Scripture point out clearly that God sent the needed rain, the long looked-for rain, prayed-for rain, through this man Elijah placing his face between his knees. This was the gate which stood ajar for the loving Father to send the gracious rain upon the parched, dry country, thereby clothing the forest in variegated foliage, spreading a carpet of green over the cooked earth, causing the beautiful flowers to spring up, lading the air with fragrant odors, while the song birds, filling the forests with their glad notes, made glad the heart of man and beast. The Lord Jehovah had been waiting for a channel through which to send this glad, good news, but He needed a clean channel, a consecrated channel.
There is nothing that can fail if God sees it is best, that it is for His glory and the salvation of man. Our prayers do not change the plans and purposes of God; they influence the actions Of God, not His purposes. It is the devil's business to becloud our spiritual skies, and discourage us. Discouragement is one of the greatest barriers in the Christian's pathway. No man ever had a better cause to become discouraged than did Elijah, and he would have been discouraged had he failed to
"So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees." (1 Kings 18:42.)
The incidents that cluster about this rich text of Scripture point out clearly that God sent the needed rain, the long looked-for rain, prayed-for rain, through this man Elijah placing his face between his knees. This was the gate which stood ajar for the loving Father to send the gracious rain upon the parched, dry country, thereby clothing the forest in variegated foliage, spreading a carpet of green over the cooked earth, causing the beautiful flowers to spring up, lading the air with fragrant odors, while the song birds, filling the forests with their glad notes, made glad the heart of man and beast. The Lord Jehovah had been waiting for a channel through which to send this glad, good news, but He needed a clean channel, a consecrated channel.
There is nothing that can fail if God sees it is best, that it is for His glory and the salvation of man. Our prayers do not change the plans and purposes of God; they influence the actions Of God, not His purposes. It is the devil's business to becloud our spiritual skies, and discourage us. Discouragement is one of the greatest barriers in the Christian's pathway. No man ever had a better cause to become discouraged than did Elijah, and he would have been discouraged had he failed to
remember that God and he were a majority, God can undo anything the devil has ever done. The devil fills a man full of sin, full of doubt, full of uncontrollable appetites, but if that man will come to Jesus, He will destroy all sin, and the sinner, saved by grace, will stand in His great presence as if he had never transgressed His law. When God forgives a man, He forgets all about his sins, remembers them against him no more.
It is one of the tactics of the enemy to becloud, befog -- question the faithfulness of God, and thus a discouraged man can be defeated. He cannot fight, his fighting blood has been frozen, through the devil's channel, discouragement. The Russians went into every battle discouraged, the Japanese went into battle thrilling with courage; hence the Russians were defeated. When we become discouraged, we dishonor God; we help turn the tide in Satan's favor, we assist in defeating God's plans and purposes. It takes a holy man to surmount and conquer discouragement. It takes a holy man to go right ahead when all looks blue -- no clouds, no sign of rain. It takes a holy man to live right in the midst of discouraging circumstances and keep his heart above the clouds, in the golden sunlight of time. God loves such men, honors such men, uses such men! Holy men are worth while in every walk of life, They are salt to preserve, light to illuminate.
Men love men of stability, of cheerfulness. It is our choice whether we will live on the sunny side of the street, scattering sunshine, or live in the cold, damp shadows, scattering doubts, chilling the faith of His dear saints, placing mountains in the weaker brother's pathway. We can be strong in God, able to do a full day's work, a long day's work, a hard day's work, and not complain, or we can be weak, not fit for anything. A strong man talks strongly, walks with a firm gait, breathes deeply, has a good appetite, enjoys his meals, eats what is placed before him. He is like a signboard, pointing out clearly what good things God can do for those who are strong in Him.
How are we to be kept from discouragement? The first thing is to be certain that we are right with God, that we are regenerated, born of the Spirit, begotten of God, brought from darkness to light, know we are His children. Paul says, "We know that if this earthly house were destroyed, we have a tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." John says, "We know because we love the brethren." God is no respecter of persons, and if Paul and John knew, we may also know. We know whom we have believed, and are fully persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day.
The second thing is to obey. Walk in all the light God gives, and then when you have done fully your part, wait with patience for Him to do His. Never become discouraged, always remember that the world was not made the first day. When the day's work is done, if we did all that was shown us, if we did our best, if we walked in all the light God gave, even though our work be awkwardly done, if it was our best, He will love us good because we did it to please and honor Him.
One hot summer day I came in from hoeing in the garden, and said to my sweet, black-eyed Helen, but five summers, "Please bring me a glass of water." She hurried off to the kitchen and came back with a glass brimful of water, struck her little foot against a brick and down went baby Helen, water and all. She jumped up, grabbed the glass, looked at me somewhat embarrassed and said, "Wait, father, I will bring you a drink of water." Here she came a second time with a glassful
It is one of the tactics of the enemy to becloud, befog -- question the faithfulness of God, and thus a discouraged man can be defeated. He cannot fight, his fighting blood has been frozen, through the devil's channel, discouragement. The Russians went into every battle discouraged, the Japanese went into battle thrilling with courage; hence the Russians were defeated. When we become discouraged, we dishonor God; we help turn the tide in Satan's favor, we assist in defeating God's plans and purposes. It takes a holy man to surmount and conquer discouragement. It takes a holy man to go right ahead when all looks blue -- no clouds, no sign of rain. It takes a holy man to live right in the midst of discouraging circumstances and keep his heart above the clouds, in the golden sunlight of time. God loves such men, honors such men, uses such men! Holy men are worth while in every walk of life, They are salt to preserve, light to illuminate.
Men love men of stability, of cheerfulness. It is our choice whether we will live on the sunny side of the street, scattering sunshine, or live in the cold, damp shadows, scattering doubts, chilling the faith of His dear saints, placing mountains in the weaker brother's pathway. We can be strong in God, able to do a full day's work, a long day's work, a hard day's work, and not complain, or we can be weak, not fit for anything. A strong man talks strongly, walks with a firm gait, breathes deeply, has a good appetite, enjoys his meals, eats what is placed before him. He is like a signboard, pointing out clearly what good things God can do for those who are strong in Him.
How are we to be kept from discouragement? The first thing is to be certain that we are right with God, that we are regenerated, born of the Spirit, begotten of God, brought from darkness to light, know we are His children. Paul says, "We know that if this earthly house were destroyed, we have a tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." John says, "We know because we love the brethren." God is no respecter of persons, and if Paul and John knew, we may also know. We know whom we have believed, and are fully persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day.
The second thing is to obey. Walk in all the light God gives, and then when you have done fully your part, wait with patience for Him to do His. Never become discouraged, always remember that the world was not made the first day. When the day's work is done, if we did all that was shown us, if we did our best, if we walked in all the light God gave, even though our work be awkwardly done, if it was our best, He will love us good because we did it to please and honor Him.
One hot summer day I came in from hoeing in the garden, and said to my sweet, black-eyed Helen, but five summers, "Please bring me a glass of water." She hurried off to the kitchen and came back with a glass brimful of water, struck her little foot against a brick and down went baby Helen, water and all. She jumped up, grabbed the glass, looked at me somewhat embarrassed and said, "Wait, father, I will bring you a drink of water." Here she came a second time with a glassful
and four little fingers inside of the glass of water, and four streams running down the outside of the glass. I picked up the baby, pressed her tenderly to my heart, and drank the water. She did my errand awkwardly, but she did her best. She knew father loved her and because she did her best, he petted her, and hugged her. We may make mistakes and blunder about, but if we do our best, God will love us and bless us good.
When things do not go our way, we must not give up, but keep right on for God. If work. committed to us does not prosper as we planned and looked for, we are to go right on as if it had prospered. How are we to conquer? -- by placing our face between our knees; by protracted seasons of fasting and prayer. No one can live without passing through some trials, but we should always remember that the sun can shine behind the clouds, that just beyond the tunnel we will run into the golden sunlight, and by having gone through the tunnel we will appreciate and enjoy the light the more. Yes, discouraging circumstances may surround us, but we may surmount them if we will, We may live such a prayer life that we can extract courage and blessing out of everything that comes to us.
When things do not go our way, we must not give up, but keep right on for God. If work. committed to us does not prosper as we planned and looked for, we are to go right on as if it had prospered. How are we to conquer? -- by placing our face between our knees; by protracted seasons of fasting and prayer. No one can live without passing through some trials, but we should always remember that the sun can shine behind the clouds, that just beyond the tunnel we will run into the golden sunlight, and by having gone through the tunnel we will appreciate and enjoy the light the more. Yes, discouraging circumstances may surround us, but we may surmount them if we will, We may live such a prayer life that we can extract courage and blessing out of everything that comes to us.
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