1 Kings 17:5-7
“So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.”
Elijah obeyed the Lord’s command, and he traveled east of the Jordan and lived by the brook Cherith. It was an act of great faith. It was also a very unique experience, with ravens providing food each morning and evening, the brook providing water, and all of it orchestrated by the hand of God.
I can imagine that Elijah went from a feeling of great uncertainty when the Lord first told him to go east of the Jordan to live by the brook, to a sense of wonder and joy that every day God was taking care of him in such an incredible way.
Then the brook dried up. The scripture announces it quite abruptly: “And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.” Everyone has experienced this. One day everything is going great, and then suddenly something bad happens.
- Your business is healthy and growing, but then the market shifts and your customers leave for a competitor. The brook has dried up.
- You are healthy and strong, but after a routine check-up the doctor finds a tumor. The brook has dried up.
- The marriage that was once vibrant and full of joy, is now cold and lifeless. Your spouse asks for a divorce. The brook has dried up.
- You are advancing and growing in your career, but there is a merger and a new boss comes in who doesn’t value your style or skill set. The brook has dried up.
We could plug in lots of different scenarios, but you get the picture. The situation has changed, and not always for the better. The brook has dried up.
When we experience difficult situations, our tendency is to feel abandoned, or become resentful, or get anxious and fearful. We think, Why me? Why would God allow this to happen? The truth is that irrespective of the circumstances, we are still the object of God’s care.
I don’t know how Elijah felt or what he thought when he first saw the dry streambed, but I know three things are certain: (1) God is alive and well. (2) God knows what He’s doing. (3) God loves me and will provide for me.
This is very important. In this situation, the dried up brook was not a sign of God’s displeasure or judgment toward Elijah, it was the consequence of Ahab’s idolatry and disobedience; it was also part of Elijah’s training; it was part of the path to becoming a man of God. Elijah was doing the deep inner work of learning to trust God in all circumstances.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4.11-13)
Here is a link to the worship song “Alive & Breathing.” It’s a powerful message about trusting God no matter the circumstances.
Coram Deo
