THE EASY WAY OUT
1 Kings 19:1-3
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life,
We had hunted hard all morning, climbing several hundred feet straight up the mountain before daybreak. Jim and I were in position at first light to take a blacktail buck if they had been eating the high bush cranberries that grew on the small mountain shelf. But they weren't there that morning. As the sun rose, we climbed higher up the mountain hoping to get above the deer. We struggled to get through the tangled tag alders that grew both horizontally and vertically on the steep mountainside. Most of the time the only passage was through the tunnels made by the Kodiak Brown Bears. We climbed for a few hours and never broke out of the heavy cover that tripped and snagged us as we walked. Eventually we gave up and headed back down.
As Jim and I tried to decide which way to go, we considered the best and safest way but decided on the easiest way instead. That decision nearly cost me my life. We walked down a creek bottom that was really a trap for any hungry or angry Kodiak bear. Part way down we accidentally called a bear in to our deer calls and it nearly ended in disaster. Luckily, neither Jim, myself or the bear lost our lives... but it was close for a few seconds.. If we had taken the way that was best instead of the easy way, it would have been the right move.
In 1 Kings 19:1-3 we see Elijah reacting to Jezebel, who vowed to kill him within 24 hours. What did Elijah do? He ran for his life. To put this in perspective, Elijah had just done amazing things in the Lord's name the day before. God held him up while he proved Him worthy. Elijah called on the Lord to bring fire down and consume his offering and He did... all that and more.
Elijah was on a spiritual high... but it didn't last long. The very next day Jezebel threatens to kill Elijah, and even after God had proven Himself, Elijah took the easy way out... he ran away.
How often in life does God call us to do something on His behalf and we take the easy way out? Even the spiritual giant, Moses, didn't trust God to see him through when he was called to speak on God's behalf. (Exodus 4)
When we take the easy way out we put ourselves in harm's way. We could even come under deadly attacks... at the very least we stand to miss out on blessings God has set aside for us when we do it our way instead of God's way.
The Bible Is full of those that were called and took the easy way out. All of those people paid a price. Go the distance in your Christian walk, don't take the easy way out.
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