by David Brenneman
"HALT! Halt I say!" Halt is one of those words in German that was brought over into English.
H.A.L.T. is also a very apt acronym for Hungry Angry Lonely Tired.
Elijah is a very good example of when someone doesn't HALT. In both respects he didn't HALT. Perhaps you too are in need of HALTing.
“Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel. Now 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 even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.””
1 Kings 18:46-19:1-14.
Elijah is one of the more powerful, in the Lord, people of the Old Testament. He is the one who was prophesied to come before the Lord. As Jesus told the Sadducies so we all must remember that God is the God of the living. Elijah is still indeed alive in the Lord.
But take a slower look at this portion of his life. Exhaustion was at his doorstep. He hadn't eaten in a long time. Anger, righteous anger, swelled up within him to slay the prophets of Baal. These began adding up and in comes loneliness whereas he leaves his servant behind for the wilderness a day separated from him.
Then we see him collapse before the Lord. Certainly not sounding very rational or composed.
Indeed he wasn't looking beyond himself anymore at the time he began asking the Lord to take his life.
How often is what we read, Dear Reader, a description of our life's experience?
We too need to recognize when we're cutting it close with not paying attention to when we are approaching being hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
A tired body means a tired mind, a tired mind makes mistakes. Read that once in a book and never forgot it.
So here we have the example and the warning. We really do add to our woes in life when we neglect to recognize our limitations.
We take it out on others.
We remove ourselves from others.
We say things, do things, that we later need to apologize for.
We...really become more and more self-centered.
Then in a very real way give the enemy of God a reason to rejoice. Because we've become ineffective in our service to the Lord Jesus Christ and God our Heavenly Father.
Now you know a bit more as to why you need a regular night's sleep.
Now you know why you need to pay attention to regular eating habits.
Now you know why you shouldn't let anger get the best of you.
Now you know you know why you shouldn't self-isolate.
Now you know, with certainty, what happens when you don't HALT.
Anxieties grip you. Words are said you can't take back. Relationships are bruised or broken. Decisions made might not be reversible.
You might even believe that the Lord has indeed forgotten you or forsaken you. Both of which are impossible.
Pray without ceasing. Conversational praying is possible throughout your day.
Priorities must be set. Letting go of things that rob you of your sleep.
Eating appropriately.
Not letting anger or any other emotions get a grip on you.
HALT as often as these things get compromised and run to the Father, fall into grace, as the song says.
God's mercies are new every morning the Scriptures say to us.
God's grace is ours in the fullest measure every day all day.
We are ambassadors for Christ with a job to be doing. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. My sheep hear My voice. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Rest at the feet of Jesus.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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