JUST YOU, GOD, AND THE RAVENS!

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

JUST YOU, GOD, AND THE RAVENS!

1 Kings 17:1-4

17 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

           Elijah had delivered his final message – for a while. It was clear, harsh, and unforgiving. We marvel at the loss of rain but he also said there would be no dew! Dry, chapped and flakey was the earth and the wind blew away everything but stone.

           Elijah fled to Cherith which means “a cut.” I envision it as a low place where the prophet could reside under the king’s radar and rage. Cooler and quieter, it refreshed the speaker of hard things. He communed with God, drank from the cut and ate whatever the ravens dropped in his lap. It is one thing to trust in God but quite another to rely on the ravens.

           Perhaps God has set you aside for a while and removed the clamor so that His voice might be heard. Listen for it. It is a sweet voice. Your circumstance is not punishment but provision.

1 Cor 10:13

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Dear Lord, draw me into sweet intimacy with you. Let me be a friend of God. AMEN