The Vine: July 21, 2025
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”
This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)
“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’ Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah had just called down fire from heaven, won a dramatic victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and witnessed God’s power in full display. Now, only a chapter later, Elijah is running for his life. The once bold prophet is now depleted—he is exhausted, afraid, and deeply discouraged. So, beneath a solitary broom tree, he prays to die.
How did God respond to Elijah, the one who prayed, “I’ve had enough!”? God did not rebuke or lecture Elijah. He didn’t even give him a spiritual pep talk. No, God just responds with deep grace: he gives Elijah sleep, food, more sleep, and His gentle presence.
This grace is available to anyone who has “had enough” or ever reached their limit—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Elijah’s story invites us to embrace a deep truth: rest is a gift from God. The way of rest is reflected in the creation story, where God rested on the seventh day, and in the commandment to observe the Sabbath. This spiritual practice recenters our hearts on God, reminds us of God’s faithfulness, and gives space for us to reconnect with God and loved ones. Theologian Walter Brueggeman writes:
“[Sabbath] is a pause that permits us to reflect on who we are, who we are created to be, who we are called to be, and it makes us aware of the extent to which we have forgotten or compromised our creaturely reality.”
We all need this pause. Resting, stillness, and Sabbath are gifts for our souls from our God who sees us, loves us, and knows our limits. It is a holy disruption of our hurried lives, a pause that reminds us we are not defined by what we do, but by whose we are. We all long for this rest found most deeply when we are alone in God’s presence. Ruth Haley Barton explains: “When we ignore our fatigue, we are in danger of reactivity, isolation, and burnout… Solitude gives us space to be with what is true about us—without shame or distortion—so we can rest in God who sees and loves us as we are.”
God met Elijah where he was with grace and cared for his body and soul. After Elijah was rested and his strength was restored, God spoke intimately to him. God’s voice was not in the wind, earthquake, or fire but rather in the “sound of sheer silence.” (1 Kings 19:10-13). Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is stop, breathe, and rest. Perhaps only then are we ready to listen. This is the holy space where peace, clarity, healing, and direction come to us. For Elijah this sacred rest became a doorway to new life, renewed calling, and deeper purpose. It can be the same for us, too.
Prayer:
God of grace, as you cared for Elijah in his despair, come also to me in my weariness. Help me to slow down and be present with the One who is present with me. Teach me to rest in your faithful love. May your loving presence and your gentle whisper strengthen and restore my soul. Amen.
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION:
1. Where are you in Elijah’s story? Are you in a spiritual wilderness sitting beneath a broom tree—exhausted and overwhelmed? Or are you in the cave—confused and waiting for direction? How is it with your soul?
2. What practices help you rest—physically, mentally, spiritually? How do these practices restore your soul? How can you make room for any of these this week?
3. Read slowly Matthew 11:28–30 or Psalm 23 this week. Linger over each phrase. Consider God’s deep love for you. Then prayerfully reflect: Is God calling you to slow down, take a pause, or lay down a weight or expectation that you are not meant to carry?
4. Try one or more of these spiritual practices this week:
Take 10 minutes to unplug, to quiet your soul and be still in God’s presence.
Practice Sabbath moments: nap without guilt, breathe deeply, read a poem or a Psalm slowly, enjoy something life-giving.
Allow God’s question to Elijah to become your own: “What are you doing here?” or “What are you looking for?” or “What do you want?” Be aware of God’s tenderness as he invites you to explore these questions with him.
PREVIOUS WEEKS
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