A Sad Prophet and a Bad Queen

“You will break the bow, if you keep it always bent.” So goes an ancient Greek saying. Perhaps it was because of Elijah’s “bent bow” that he finally broke under the strain. In 1 Kings 19, we find him disillusioned, downcast, and discouraged. But why? And how did God deal with His broken servant? Elijah’s story helps us understand how we can handle those days when we, too, get discouraged and come to God searching for a restorative touch from our Saviour’s hand.