God does not chide His tired child when that weariness is a result of toil for Him: “I know . . . your hard work” (Revelation 2:2)—the Greek is “labor to weariness.” And what happened? “All at once an angel touched him.” There is no wilderness without its angels. Though Elijah knew it not, angels guarded him round about in his blackest depression and were actually placing bread and water at his head while he was asking for death.

A man may have to cry in the midst of an apostate community, “I am the only one left” (1 Kings 19:10); but he is always companied by legions of holy angels. But more than that. Who is this angel? It is the Angel of the Lord, the Jehovah Angel; the One who, centuries later in Gethsemane, had to have an angel to strengthen Him. He touched His exhausted child. Blessed exhaustion that can bring such a touch!

As the psalmist has said (Psalm 127:2), He giveth to His beloved while they sleep. And God does not chide His tired child.

Dear child, God does not say today, “Be strong”; He knows your strength is spent; He knows how long The road has been, how weary you have grown, For He who walked the earthly roads alone, Each bogging lowland, and each rugged hill, Can understand, and so He says, “Be still, And know that I am God.” The hour is late, And you must rest awhile, and you must wait Until life’s empty reservoirs fill up As slow rain fills an empty upturned cup. Hold up your cup, dear child, for God to fill. He only asks today that you be still.