“The word of the Lord came to Elijah saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.  And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”  1 Kings 17:2-4

“Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.  See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”  1 Kings 17:8-9

Elijah had been an obedient servant to God and he was in danger for it.  He was in danger because his message was unpopular and he was in danger because he was in the middle of a people God was disciplining, but God was making a way for him.

“Get away…”  “hide….”  “drink….”  “I have commanded the ravens to feed you…..”  “Arise…go…dwell…”  “I have commanded a widow to provide…”

The picture here is one of God’s tender provision for his child and Elijah’s trusting dependence on his God.  How beautiful that God used not the powerful or wealthy to provide for Elijah but the insignificant, the unlikely, and the poor. 

What did Elijah have to fear as he rested in the care of the the One who could command the rain to cease simply by speaking it so.  Only He could command the ravens and then enable them to ”provide”and when He instructed the widow who had  nothing to give, she found in her obedience that His provision never waned.

He is unfailingly able to provide for us as well and eternally good.

What do we have to fear?

Prayer

“My God,

Forgive me for making you too small in my eyes.  Let me today be as obedient as the ravens and the widow and as trusting as Elijah.”

~Amen