A little background on Ahab from 1 Kings 16:29-30, “In the 38th year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all that were before him”. vs. 31…. “he took a wife named Jezebel…” vs.33 “And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him”.

So we see in chapter 16 that Ahab was the most evil King Israel had had. And this is the King to whom Elijah has some dealings. We read what he told Ahab and what the Lord told him in 1 Kings 17:1-6.

Then when the brook dried up the Lord sent him to a widow in Zarephath. We read that story in verses 7-14. Very interesting stories in chapter 18 of Elijah doing powerful things for the Lord. I love the words in vs. 45,46 that say,…”And Ahab RODE and went to Jezreel and the hand of Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins and RAN before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.” I love that Elijah ran faster than Ahab’s horse as he ran before Ahab. (The Life Application Bible says he ran 6 miles arriving in Jezreel before Ahab.)

Then it is interesting to see that after being so brave in standing against Ahab, and having felt the hand of the Lord  upon him, he caved in when Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, sent him a message and in verse 3 we read: “Then he was afraid and he arose and went for his life…”

Is this not true often in our own lives? We can be brave get through some hard things with the help of the Lord, and then crumble at a much small thing in our life. We see in 19:4 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Now I come to the point of what I want to say in this lesson- Elijah was depressed and wanted to die and what did the Lord do for him? He gave him SLEEP, FOOD & WATER. I think this can be a great simple lesson for us.

When we are depressed, perhaps even after doing a good thing for the Lord, and don’t know what to do and feel like dying, perhaps it is some simple things we should try first and see what happens. Such has sleeping, eating the right food, drinking water, and basically taking good care of our bodies, and our minds too will be restored. Here is what we read in chapter 19:5-8 “And he LAY DOWN and SLEPT under a broom tree; and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ATE and DRANK, and LAY DOWN again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him, and said ARISE and EAT, else the journey will be too great for you. And he arose, and ATE and DRANK and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Herob the mount of God.”

This is what I learned from these verses. Psychology and medicine all have a place in lifting a depression. But why not try the simple things first. Such as sleep, food, and water. I think of the old saying: “When in doubt, read the directions.”

How often do we forget the simple instructions of the Lord and go directly to man’s thinking? Lets slow down today and take care of the gift the Lord has given us.