1 Kings 19:4
“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 away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
Elijah had just experienced one of the greatest victories of his life. He stood alone against the four hundred Prophets of Baal and won. He had won and they were slain, and the only thing left of an altar that was consumed by the fire of God was the simmering smoke.
You would think that Elijah would have gone home that night and rejoiced about everything the LORD did through him; instead, we find him fleeing from Jezebel into the wilderness and taking up residence under a juniper tree. It was under the juniper tree that he requested of the LORD to take his life. What? You prayed fire down from Heaven and you’re sitting under a juniper tree feeling sorry for yourself and thinking you are the only one who is taking a stand for God? Instead of sitting under the juniper tree feeling sorry for himself, he should have cut the juniper tree down and allowed God to continue to use him to turn Israel back to God.
Many Christians are just like Elijah in that they have set up residence under a juniper tree feeling sorry for themselves. No, you can’t see the juniper tree, but they have the juniper tree mentality. There are preachers who think they are the only ones who are truly standing for the LORD. There are Christians who have adopted a martyr syndrome and feel like they are the only ones in their church who want to do right. There are individuals who are living under their juniper tree at work or home feeling as if they are the only one who really wants to do right.
The only reason a person will live under a juniper tree is because they have placed their eyes upon themselves. Elijah took his eyes off God and forgot the great work that God used him to do. Because he lived under the juniper tree, he couldn’t see that there were seven thousand people who never bowed their knee to Baal. When you live under the juniper tree you will only feel sorry for yourself and never see the great works that God is doing.
It’s time you cut down your juniper tree and see that God is still alive. When you cut down your juniper tree, you will find that there are others out there who are standing for the LORD. When you cut down your juniper tree, you will find there is an Elisha whom you can train to help you in the ministry. When you cut down your juniper tree, you can rejoice in the great works that God is doing in your church and life.
Are you living under a juniper tree? Don’t let the juniper tree ruin your potential. Don’t let the juniper tree keep you from seeing God’s great works. Don’t let the juniper tree keep you from seeing how God is using many people today to do great works. Cut down the juniper tree, and get your eyes back upon God, and you will then begin to see there are many great works that God is still doing.