Elijah is too tired to run anymore. And so, he prays again. This prayer is very different from the faith-filled prayer that God answered on Mount Carmel ( 1 Kings 18.36-37) in front of the priests and prophets of Baal, the members of the court, and the common people. This is a simple, short prayer of desperation.

In 1 Kings 19:4, Elijah states that he is no better than his fathers. What was he talking about?

When Elijah finally is still, guilt comes crushing in on him. He realizes that his quick exit has hijacked what could have been a great opportunity for reformation in Israel. He realizes that he has disappointed those who needed him. And he’s powerless to do anything about it. Thus, in a painful moment of self-reflection, knowing full well the history of his people, he sees himself for what he really is.

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That can be a painful revelation for anyone of us, can’t it — that is, seeing ourselves for what we really are? How grateful we should be for the promise that, sinful as our lives have been, in Christ God will see us as He sees Jesus. What more hope can we have than that, by faith, we can claim for ourselves the righteousness of Christ? (See Philippians 3:9.)

Nevertheless, depression has a way of sucking us into a dark whirlpool of self-loathing. And sometimes we begin to think that death is the only way out.

This seems to be the case for Elijah. It’s all too much for him. He says, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!“ (1 Kings 19:4).

The good news is that the great Healer doesn’t condemn Elijah. God understands better than we do what we are up against as we fight depression.

“We may have no remarkable evidence at the time that the face of our Redeemer is bending over us in compassion and love, but this is even so. We may not feel His visible touch, but His hand is upon us in love and pitying tenderness.” — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 97.

God knows and understands that “the journey is too much” (1 Kings 19:7) for us, but sometimes He has to wait until we stop running. Then He can intervene.

Sometimes people who are drowning become so confused that they will fight a lifeguard off. The lifeguard then has to back off and wait to perform a rescue until the victim actually becomes unconscious.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Rest. The word used most frequently in our Sabbath School Lesson pamphlet this quarter. “Thou shalt rest, Thou shalt rest!” These are words repeated each verse of
Hymn 387 – Come, O Sabbath Day, our theme hymn for this quarter.

We could add to the theme
Hymn 529 – Under His Wings. Each week of study this quarter, gives more and more of showing God’s deepest care for us, His children. As God’s children we find out about the Biblical family growing pains, and this still happens today. Yet, we are still “under His wings”.

The Memory Text opens our singing this week with
Hymn 515 – The Lord Is My Light.

It is in
Hymn 386 – The Scared Anthem we find “The Lord of Sabbaths wills renewal for the weary earth and healing for our ills” just as we are looking at the ‘Healing Rest’ we need in Sunday’s study time.

Our ‘Root Treatment’ is in the forgiveness for which we long –
Hymn 299 – Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive (Monday).

When we are ‘Too Tired to Run’ anymore, as was Elijah, the understanding comes to us of what our faith can give, as in
Hymn 163 – At The Cross. It is there that
I Must Tell Jesus – Hymn 485 all of my troubles. His compassion then gives us rest. After our rest, we can sing
Praise Ye the Father – Hymn 70 in which we praise the Saviour, as great is His compassion.

Blessings for a wonderful week ahead.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Key Thought: In changes in our experiences, we are either elated or depressed. But changes in circumstances has no power to change God’s relationship to us.
August 21, 2021

1. Have a volunteer read Mark 2:1-12.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. Why did Jesus first forgive the paralytic’s sins before He healed him?
3. Personal Application: How can we find peace and rest even when our prayers for healing don’t seem to be answered? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Is understanding the cause of a sickness an important step to healing and recovery?” How would you respond to your friend?

2. Have a volunteer read I Kings 19:1-5.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why did Elijah run away when threatened by Jezebel?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever been so tired and worn out that you did or said the wrong thing? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why was Elijah feeling sorry for himself after gaining a great victory over the priests of Baal? What did God do to help him get back on the right track?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read I Kings 19:5-8..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What happened after Elijah got rest and nourishment?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever gotten to the point where you felt you’s had it? You’re ready to quit. You’ve had enough? What do you do to deal with that attitude? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “How can I do anything right now? I’m depressed and down. Nobody cares what I have done for them. Nothing seems to matter.“ How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read I Kings 19:15,16; 2 Kings 2:11…

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. Is there any power in intercessory prayer for those too depressed to pray for themselves? How important is it to pray for others in need?
3. Personal Application: Does being depressed, fearful, or worried mean we lack faith in God? How can we learn to trust God no matter how difficult it is?” Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the most common illness worldwide, affecting more than three hundred million people each year, does not always have obvious visible symptoms. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.

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Unfortunately, often depression is not spoken about in Christianity because it can be seen as a sign of a lack of faith. After all, aren’t Christians always supposed to be filled with joy and happiness and the like? So, isn’t depression a sign that something is wrong with our relationship with God?

Most people know that this isn’t true. Even Christians, faithful Christians, can at times struggle with depression, especially after a traumatic event, and it is not a sign of lack of faith or trust in God. Again, one can read the Psalms and see the pain, suffering, and anguish that God’s faithful people suffered.

Sometimes a depression slowly and quietly takes hold of us, and we recognize it only when it tightens its grip. Sometimes it strikes quickly, after a particularly draining emotional or physical event. For example, God’s faithful prophet Elijah was completely drained, emotionally and physically, after Mount Carmel.

In 1 Kings 18:1-46, Elijah has just seen God’s miracle of fire coming down from heaven. In answer to his prayer, he has seen rain come and end a three-year drought. Why does Elijah react to Jezebel’s threat by running? Read 1 Kings 19:1-5.

Elijah has had a very grueling twenty-four hours. This experience, coupled with a rude awakening and a death threat, serves as a depression trigger for Elijah.

Also, Elijah was there when the prophets of Baal were slaughtered, perhaps even some of them by his own hand (1 Kings 18:40). Such an event, even for a righteous cause, can easily lead to traumatic stress in those who either watch or, even worse, take part.

So Elijah begins to run, to try to get away. Sometimes we run to the refrigerator and try to eat ourselves happy again. Sometimes we try to sleep our emotional exhaustion away. Sometimes we look for a new relationship, job, or location in our quest to run away. And sometimes we bury ourselves in more work, more deadlines, and appointments, as we try harder to run away from the nameless something that is draining our joy and rest. And of course, many people use “medications” of some sort or another, all in an attempt to dull the pain. In the end, though, these things only mask the symptoms; they don’t solve the problem, and often they can make it only worse.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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The paralytic had been lowered into Jesus’ presence, and all eyes were on Jesus. Would He choose to heal an obvious sinner? Would He speak a word to rebuke the illness?

How does Jesus go about healing the paralytic? What is the first thing Jesus does for him? Read Mark 2:5-12.

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Because we are often unaware of a disease until we notice the symptoms, we often think of the disease as merely the symptoms. We think that getting rid of the symptoms means healing. Jesus approaches disease differently. He knows the root of all suffering and disease and wants to treat this first.

In the case of the paralytic, instead of immediately treating the obvious effects of his disease, Jesus goes straight to the root of what is bothering the man the most. The paralytic feels the weight of his guilt and separation from God more severely than he feels his disease. A person resting in God is able to endure whatever physical suffering may befall him in this sin-sick world. And so, Jesus goes straight to the root and offers forgiveness first.

The religious leaders are shocked when they hear Jesus pronounce forgiveness. In answer to their unspoken accusations, Jesus poses a question.

Read  Mark 2.8-9. What challenge is Jesus giving to the scribes there? What issue is He really dealing with?

Talk is generally cheap, but not when God speaks. By God’s powerful word, all things came into being (Genesis 1). Although forgiveness is not something that we can see, it is costly. Forgiveness cost the life of the Son of God on the cross. Everything else is secondary. To demonstrate the power and reality of forgiveness, Jesus then chooses to heal the paralytic.

God wants to cure us on the inside first. And then sometimes He chooses to bring us immediate physical healing, as with the paralytic, or sometimes we will have to wait for resurrection morning to experience physical healing. Either way, our Savior wants us to be able to rest in the assurance of His love and grace and forgiveness even now, even amid our suffering.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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