God's Refreshment
God provides refreshment and care for His tired servants, distinguishing between physical weariness and spiritual weakness.
Charles E. Cowman preaches on Elijah's exhaustion and depression under the juniper tree, emphasizing the importance of caring for our physical well-being while not confusing physical weariness with spiritual weakness. He highlights God's compassion in recognizing when His children are too tired to pray and encouraging them to rest in His care, just like a mother cares for her child. Cowman reminds believers of God's understanding and sympathy, urging them to trust in His love even when they feel too exhausted to pray.
Text
"The journey is too great for thee" (1 King 19:7).
And what did God do with His tired servant? Gave him something good to eat, and put him to sleep. Elijah had done splendid work, and had run alongside of the chariot in his excitement, and it had been too much for his physical strength, and the reaction had come on, and he was depressed. The physical needed to be cared for. What many people want is sleep, and the physical ailment attended to. There are grand men and women who get where Elijah was--under the juniper tree! and it comes very soothingly to such to hear the words of the Master: "The journey is too great for thee, and I am going to refresh you." Let us not confound physical weariness with spiritual weakness.
"I'm too tired to trust and too tired to pray,
Said one, as the over-taxed strength gave way.
The one conscious thought by my mind possessed,
Is, oh, could I just drop it all and rest.
"Will God forgive me, do you suppose,
If I go right to sleep as a baby goes,
Without an asking if I may,
Without ever trying to trust and pray?
"Will God forgive you? why think, dear heart,
When language to you was an unknown art,
Did a mother deny you needed rest,
Or refuse to pillow your head on her breast?
"Did she let you want when you could not ask?
Did she set her child an unequal task?
Or did she cradle you in her arms,
And then guard your slumber against alarms?
"Ah, how quick was her mother love to see,
The unconscious yearnings of infancy.
When you've grown too tired to trust and pray,
When over-wrought nature has quite given way:
"Then just drop it all, and give up to rest,
As you used to do on a mother's breast,
He knows all about it--the dear Lord knows,
So just go to sleep as a baby goes;
"Without even asking if you may,
God knows when His child is too tired to pray.
He judges not solely by uttered prayer,
He knows when the yearnings of love are there.
"He knows you do pray, He knows you do trust,
And He knows, too, the limits' of poor weak dust.
Oh, the wonderful sympathy of Christ,
For His chosen ones in that midnight tryst,
"When He bade them sleep and take their rest,
While on Him the guilt of the whole world pressed--
You've given your life up to Him to keep,
Then don't be afraid to go right to sleep."
Sermon Outline
- I. God's Refreshment for the Tired Servant
- A. God provides physical care for Elijah
- B. God distinguishes between physical weariness and spiritual weakness
- II. The Dangers of Confusing Physical and Spiritual Weakness
- A. Physical exhaustion can lead to spiritual despair
- B. We must not judge our spiritual state by our physical condition
- III. God's Sympathy and Understanding
- A. God knows our innermost thoughts and desires
- B. God understands our limitations and weaknesses
- IV. The Invitation to Rest
- A. We can trust God to care for us in our times of need
- B. We can surrender our burdens to God and rest
Key Quotes
“The journey is too great for thee.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Then just drop it all, and give up to rest, as you used to do on a mother's breast, He knows all about it--the dear Lord knows, So just go to sleep as a baby goes;” — Charles E. Cowman
“He knows you do pray, He knows you do trust, And He knows, too, the limits' of poor weak dust.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We should not confuse physical weariness with spiritual weakness and should seek God's refreshment and care in our times of need.
- When we're feeling overwhelmed, we can trust God to care for us and surrender our burdens to Him.
- God knows our innermost thoughts and desires, even when we're too tired to trust and pray.