MANY people today feel lonely; they feel that nobody really cares about them. Older people often feel this way. But lots of children today, even many who serve God, also feel lonely and afraid. Do you know why?—
There can be many reasons. Let’s take the example of a man who lived a long time ago—nearly a thousand years before Jesus was born. His name was Elijah. He lived when people in the nation of Israel had left off serving the true God, Jehovah. Most had begun to worship the false god Baal. Elijah said: “I only am left.” But do you think that Elijah really was the only one still serving Jehovah?—
Although Elijah did not realize it, others in Israel still worshipped the true God. But they had gone into hiding.
They were afraid. Do you know why?—
Ahab, the king of Israel, was not serving Jehovah; he was worshipping Baal, the false god of Ahab’s wicked wife, Jezebel. So she and Ahab were trying to find those who served Jehovah and kill them, especially Elijah. That is why Elijah ran away. He went almost 300 miles (483 km), all the way into the desert to Horeb, a place that is also called Sinai in the Bible. There, hundreds of years before Elijah’s time, Jehovah had given his people the Ten Commandments and the rest of his Law. Elijah hid in a cave in Horeb all by himself. Do you think Elijah should have been afraid?—
The Bible shows that earlier Jehovah used Elijah to perform great miracles. Jehovah once answered Elijah’s prayer to send fire from heaven to eat up a sacrifice. In that way, Jehovah proved that He was the true God, not Baal. Now, while Elijah was in the cave, Jehovah spoke to him.
“What is your business here?” Jehovah asked. That is when Elijah said, ‘I only am left of those worshipping you.’ Jehovah then kindly corrected Elijah, saying, ‘I have yet seven thousand who serve me.’ Jehovah told Elijah to return, explaining that He had more work for him to do.
What do you think we can learn from Elijah’s example?— Even those who serve Jehovah may be afraid sometimes. So all of us, young and old alike, need to remember to turn to Jehovah for help. The Bible promises: “Jehovah is near to all those calling upon him.”
There is another lesson: We have brothers and sisters everywhere who love Jehovah and love us. The Bible says: “The same things in the way of sufferings are being accomplished in the entire association of [our] brothers in the world.” Aren’t you happy to know that we are never really alone?—
Read in your Bible
1 Kings 19:3-18
Deuteronomy 5:1-22
Psalm 145:18
1 Peter 5:9
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