You Can't Beak That

The word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kirith Revine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” 1^st Kings 17:2 (NIV)

Elijah the Prophet was in big trouble. He had just finished prophesying that God would withhold rain from Israel as judgment for her sins. The king, Ahab, was really angry.

God told Elijah to lay low for a while. He sent him to a secluded spot where He promised to supply his needs. Morning and evening He sent Ravens to bring him food. God used this time of testing to prepare Elijah for greater trials yet to face.

The LORD always leads us into places where He sustains us and trains us. There’s no sin in wondering why we’re going through a trial. But for myself, I’ve found my own comfort and growth was strengthened when I began to ask, “What does God want to teach me, here?” He brought His prophet into the desert and took care of this Orthodox Jew in a very unorthodox way. Elijah’s food was delivered, prepackaged, in a neat beak.

God shows us that in any situation in which we find ourselves, He can meet our every need, even if it means using the wings of ravens to bring Him honor, praise, and worship.

But this was only part of the story. As we read on, we find that when Elijah’s time in the wilderness was done, God didn’t fly him home to live a life for the birds. Instead, He used him in many more ways. When his time on earth was finished, God dispatched a chariot of fire to fly him to Himself (2^nd Kings 2:11).

God is always faithful. Even in the dry and barren wilderness experiences, He seldom works the same way twice. He doesn’t want us to become enamored with routine solutions which we will begin to trust over Him.  

The exciting thing is He’s not limited in what He can do for us or how He accomplishes it. He can use the wings of a 747 or the wings of a raven. Birds of a feather can flock together, to be sure, but the LORD’s ability to meet your needs goes far and away above that. That’s enough to cause a weary heart to take wing! When ravens won’t fit the bill, He will.

Ken