Wednesday September 14, 2022

Scripture Passage: 1 Kings 17: ⁵ So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Life Lesson: We can never go wrong when we choose to live in obedience to the Word of the Lord!  God will make a way for us as we trust in the authority of His Word!

– The scriptures tell us that Elijah “did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.”

– In other words, Elijah followed and lived by the counsel of God.  This could not have been easy for Elijah and it sometimes is not easy for us.  Sometimes we wrongly assume that if the Lord is in it then it will all just flow together beautifully. 

– The Word of the Lord counsels us, Isaiah 54:
¹⁶ “See, it is I who created the blacksmith
    who fans the coals into flame
    and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;
¹⁷     no weapon forged against you will prevail,
    and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
    and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.”  Inherent in this message from the Lord is the reality that God is sovereign even over the things that threaten us.  God is creator of the blacksmith who fashions the weapon that is coming against you and yes God is creator over the destroyer who is working havoc over your life!  Read Job 1 and 2 for more insights into this reality.  While we are tempted to fall into the trap of Satan by cursing God for allowing such realities into our lives, Job 1:11, 2:5; instead like Job, we must declare by faith, Job 1:21 “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”  Job also counseled his wife after she had in exasperation told him to “curse God and die” saying, ^10 “…You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” 

– We are too ready and willing to accept only good things from God but when trouble comes our way we begin to complain and lose faith.  Elijah did what the Lord had led him to do but his immediate, “reward” was lackluster at best and perhaps downright insulting to most.  However, we can never go wrong when we choose to live in obedience to the Word of the Lord!  Remember God has promised, “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.”  This is our heritage from the Lord!