Each day during our devotional time we are going to take a look at a chapter in the Old Testament that will be in the context of the series that we went through that is titled Kings and Prophets. (Find these past sermons here)

Elijah Fed by Ravens

1 Kings 17:1 (NLT)

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

2 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 3 “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”

5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 But after a while, the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.

The Widow at Zarephath

8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

17 Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally, he died. 18 Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”

19 But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. 20 Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”

21 And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 23 Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”

24 Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”

This is one of the coolst introductory chapters that any person in the Bible gets.  Elijah goes on assignment from the Lord to tell the king of Israel, Ahab, that it's not going to rain until Elijah gives the go ahead. And then God sent Elijah to a brook that was going to provide him water during this drought and just to flex his awesomeness God also sent the first recorded door dash workers, the ravens, to feed Elijah. However, at some point the brook dried up and the Ravens stopped flying. So, God had prepared more provision for Elijah in the form of a widow lady.

When Elijah found the widow lady, she was collecting sticks getting ready to prepare her last meal for her and her son to eat and then starve to death. But upon Elijah’s request, and her faithfulness, God moved in a way that is completely foreign to the natural order of things. She prepared Elijah’s meal first then there was plenty to feed her and her son, and not just for that day but the oil and flour didn't run out until the rains came and the crops grew. I love this about our God: he is not bound by the natural order of things. He can supernaturally interact with his creation to provide, protect, and to empower his people.

We are reminded very quickly however, that even for the faithful sometimes tragedy strikes or trials arise. We see the widow’s son grow sick and perish while Elijah is in the home being fed by them. I think it's interesting that she says "have you come to point out my sins and kill my son?" It is important to be able to handle a little bit of undue criticism that is hurled at us or the Lord when people are in times of hurt. No, Elijah did not come to bring tragedy to this household or condemnation of her sins. This was just an unfortunate fact of living in a fallen creation. However, again our God is not confined to the natural order of things. Elijah put himself over the child, which in these days would be very unheard of because there was no diagnosis of this early death, they would have assumed that his “air," or breath, would have been toxic or contaminated. Elijah doing this showed a great faith in the Lord, and possibly a lack of concern for his own well-being. Of course, God was faithful, He heard Elijah’s prayer, and He brought the boy back to life.

Remember, the God we serve is not bound by our natural law. He is the undisputed grand champion of creation. He is the giver of life. When it seems hopeless, or too dark, or unsalvageable just remember who is on the throne that matters and what He is capable of. Put your trust in the Lord. Trust Him with your lost family members and loved ones. Trust him with your future. Trust him with your presence. If you can do those things I promise your anxiety level will diminish, and your faith will strengthen as you walk in the trust that God is bigger than anything you will face. Also, sometimes it may take throwing away your concern for self and recklessly abandoning comfort and safety to see a mighty move of God in your life and the lives around you.

In the context of our prayer and fasting focus, this narrative is a powerful reminder that God can reach those who seem hopeless, impact a situation that seems too far gone, and reveal Himself in His fullness even to those who don’t know Him on a personal level. So, as we pray and focus on our relationship with God over the next 21 days, and really all of our lives, let's do so in the victory and the power of a God who is not bound by nature!