We know next to nothing about the background of Elijah other than the fact that he was a Tishbite. However, he had a claim that would prove pivotal in his life and mission- the fact that he was standing before the Lord. Before we make any attempt at understanding that phrase, we will note another character who claimed to be standing before the Lord; only that this time we are talking of an angelic being, Gabriel. (Luke 1:19). We have two examples of people standing before the presence of the Lord; one human, the other an angel. This already tells us that standing before the Lord may not necessarily be in a literal sense. If it is literal for Gabriel, it could not be for Elijah. Generally speaking, standing before the Lord connotes the idea of waiting on Him, much the same way the prophets and teachers in Antioch were ministering to the Lord in Acts 13:1-2.

The important thing to learn is that those who wait on the Lord will soon gain the knowledge of their assignment. By waiting on God, Elijah knew he was to go and speak to the powers that be who had messed up quite a lot. Gabriel obtained his mission both for Zechariah and Mary concerning the birth of John and Jesus respectively. Also, it was while the leaders of the church at Antioch were in the presence of the Lord that they gained the knowledge of what task had been set aside for Barnabas and Saul. Apart from knowing what to do, waiting before God will give us direction to where provision and safety are guaranteed. Truly, those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.