Last Leaves – Feeling alone, but never alone.
Driving home from the pool yesterday, the lyrics “all the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey” were going through my head.
The sky was grey yesterday, and it rained off and on all day. The leaves aren’t all grey, but most trees have shed them all. A few lonely leaves are holding on for dear life, but every little gust of wind shakes some more of them off the tree.
Sometimes, we feel like those remaining leaves. We think that we’re the last faithful Christians left. That thought might apply to our own faith walk or our denomination/affiliation compared to others.
It feels that no one else wants to do the work; finding volunteers is like searching for hen’s teeth or frog hairs. You can’t find anyone to study the Scriptures or pray with. The weight of the gospel message rests fully on our shoulders, and we fear that God’s work won’t get done if we don’t do it.
Of course, that’s wrong thinking, and we’re not the first people in the world to have those thoughts. We are never alone.
In 1 Kings, we see God work incredible miracles through Elijah, but he feels alone. I recommend reading 1 Kings 18-19 to get the full story, but I want to hit on a few relevant verses.
Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.” 1 Kings 18:22
God works in miraculous ways to defeat all the priests of Baal, which angers Jezebel, the Queen, so Elijah runs away into the desert to hide.
While in the desert, he hears the still small voice of God and complains.
He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 1 Kings 19:14
The Lord responds by giving Elijah a task to anoint a new king over Israel and reminds him that,
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18
That 7,000 might be a literal number, but it’s more likely to refer to many more believers than Elijah can comprehend. Seven is the number of completeness, and 1,000 often suggests large numbers. Either way, Elijah is far from alone in doing God’s work.
We are never the only ones, no matter how we feel. God’s church is larger than we ever imagine. Things are happening that we may never see. We are never alone.
God’s tasks will get accomplished with us, despite us, or through us. We are accountable to God for our own obedience, not the obedience of others.
He is the one with power and makes things happen.
Joyfully do what God calls you to and let Him worry about what others are, or are not doing. He’s got it covered.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed,
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
From Gleanings From The Word (Kevin Corbin, 2001– ), a Scripture-based devotional work.