AND THE BROOK DRIED UP

AND THE BROOK DRIED UP!

1 Kings 17:5-7

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord : for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

           Elijah’s exile to the bank of a brook was not PUNISHMENT it was PROVISION. God led him to Cherith because it was a place of hiding from the enemy and because it provided water which was in critical supply everywhere.

           The drought was a direct result of Elijah’s obedience and God’s miraculous action. Elijah told the king that it would not rain until he said it would rain and then he promptly went into hiding. God honored His promise and withheld rain so as to provide adequate motivation for change!

           Now, God’s unusual emergency provision was beginning to dry up. The once clear brook was probably turning muddy. What would Elijah do now? Where would he find food and water? Well, God provided a widow! Sufficiency would come from one who had nothing left. Elijah found her gathering a few sticks to cook the last of her food. After that, she said, she and her son would die (1 Kings 17:13).

           Then Elijah made a request that seems to me both rude and insensitive. Basically he asked for preferential treatment! “Bring me a little cake first.” First! Why? Because it was not God’s plan for Elijah to die. If the widow planned to abandon hope then so be it but Elijah had no such plans. The widow’s generosity became her salvation that day for God increased her supplies.

           The lesson seems clear! When you are down to nothing – God is up to something!

Dear Lord, You are more than able to provide a banquet in the wilderness. Give me some clue today that you are up to something. AMEN