The Lodestar

Driving the 500 km to Bengaluru from home is an enchanting experience; a hundred km is through three consecutive tiger reserves, where we find herds of elephants, deer, monkeys, and wild buffaloes on both sides, and sometimes crossing the road. The signs along the road advise against feeding the animals, stopping on the way, and exiting the vehicle at any time. There are no toilets, shops, or petrol pumps along this stretch. So, I fill the tank before we enter the forest area. If you ignore the tank, please wait two or three hours locked inside the car until the forest department arrives with the towing truck.

This is a parable of life. Sometimes, we run out of the motivation to live, hope to pull on, and when the headwind gets stronger, we crash land.

But the Lord promises that life with him will never run out of fuel on the run. He is the constant supplier of strength to the weak. When our struggle demands that we expend all our energy, when we grow weak and unable to make another step, he will auto-recharge us.

Elijah had a strenuous mission. Taking on the prophets of Baal alone and standing up to the bloodthirsty queen Jezebel sapped all his energy for life. When he was ready to hang his boots, resting under a broom tree, the angel woke him up, fed him, and commanded him to resume the race (1 Kings 19:1—8). And he did.

The Lord never disposes of us when we have no more power. But he recharges us and helps us complete the journey; we only need to cling to his promises.

Take a moment today to rest under your broom tree. Open your heart to the whisper of the divine. Let Him feed your spirit, wake you up, and send you forward with renewed purpose. Reread 1 Kings 19:1—8. Reflect. Pray. Receive. Then, get back on the road—because your journey isn’t over, and your destination is still ahead.