Gratitude opens our eyes to the goodness of God. If you cannot think of a way in which the Lord has or is providing for you, I challenge you to begin to implement thankfulness daily. Perhaps you had a time in life that appeared to be a dry place, but God provided for you in an amazing way? Maybe you are in the middle of your desert, wondering why you are there? Take some time to reflect on what your ravens were or are in this moment. I reflect on the closeness and the kindness in my season as a single woman. I look back and smile remembering how the Lord was with me and loved me. However, my Cherith was also equally as significant as my time now as a married woman. He had an amazing man of the Lord for me at His perfect timing. I know that God was not only preparing me for my husband Drew, but He was protecting me from marrying the wrong kind of man. I learned my identity was not in a relationship status with anyone but Him. I knew that He could handle the tears and the frustrations. I learned to use that season for good and His glory. However, it was in that season of isolation that I grew tremendously in my intimacy with Christ, and my trust in Him increased significantly. I had been faithful to Him and loved Him, but I was in a Cherith. I wondered why the Lord would not bring me a husband. It was a challenge for me when my friends were getting married and I felt behind. He had the time to see God ’s faithfulness, to learn to trust his heart.” It is there that our prayer lives increase and our faith in our Jehovah Jireh is strengthen.ĭena Johnson Martin from Crosswalk says, “He had the opportunity to be ministered to by God himself, to sit quietly by the brook absorbing God ’s love. It is in those places where we gain greater intimacy with the Lord. Many times, it can be frustrating to have desires to do “great things” for God that we miss out on the joy of the still moments. These birds that I once considered pretty ugly, I now delight in the thought of how the Lord takes care of them and of me. How Can We Glean Hope from This Story?Įvery time that I see or think of a raven now, I will never be the same. We are His image-bearers, His adopted children, and His chosen ones. The Lord values the ravens, but how much more did He value Elijah? God values us just the same. In order for them not to eat his breakfast, God would also have to take care of the birds. Elijah had to have known that in order for him to survive, the ravens also had to survive. God was having Elijah consider the ravens. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” What I love even more is that we see a similar message in the New Testament in Luke 12:24, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn yet God feeds them. All the while He could be protecting you and caring for you in a unique manner just like He did for Elijah. Maybe you are in a season of your life where you do not know what the Lord is doing? You could be questioning His provision and His ways. Many times, our God does not choose to work in rational ways so that without a shadow of a doubt we can know that it had to be Him. This may have seemed like an odd location to Elijah, but God in His sovereignty was saving his life. They wanted Elijah dead and looked in all of the other cities. What we learn in 1 Kings 18 is that Jezebel was killing the prophets and Obadiah was hiding them to rescue them while Elijah was in Cherith. They were absolutely evil and disobedient to the ways of the Lord. Why would God provide for Elijah in this way? Why would the Lord even make him go live in an obscure dry place? The context of 1 Kings 17 is during the rule of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. This might seem like a strange story to you. What Is the Context of 1 Kings 17 and Elijah Being Fed by Ravens? The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening and he got water from the brook. Kristi Wood from Crosswalk shares, “Time and time again, Elijah set the example of loyal obedience to God our Father.” Elijah does what God said to do and goes to Cherith. The amazing obedience and trust that Elijah shows come quickly after in verses 5-6. He tells Elijah that he will drink from the brook and ravens will give him food ( 1 Kings 17:4). God led Elijah to a dry land called Cherith east of the Jordan ( 1 Kings 17:3). In 1 Kings 17, Elijah told King Ahab that the Lord was sending a drought. What Happens in the Story of Elijah Being Fed by Ravens? We can look at Elijah’s provisions and be reminded of the unique ways in which God always cares for our needs. The mystery of the ways in which our Lord works is eye-opening in this biblical account. When Elijah was in Cherith during a time of separation and preparation, God fed him by ravens. As I was doing my Bible study on Elijah just yesterday, the story of the ravens was the focus.
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