August 20, 2010
Elijah.
What kind of faith and courage did it take for Elijah to stand up and make a claim about the future and what God said would happen, before it happened? He trusted God and His word. If God said it, Elijah believed it.
Elijah told Ahab it's not going to rain, and then Elijah left. God gave very clear directions on where he was to go. He sent him to a stream east of the Jordan and the ravens fed him every morning and night. When the stream dried up (because there was no rain), God sent him to a widow's home. The widow's means of living had dried up as well, but she shared what she had and was sustained and blessed for it. Later, when her son died, Elijah prayed and brought him back to life.
Here is what stands out to me. Elijah is being faithful. He is doing what God has asked him to do. Yet, when God sends him to the stream, it dries up! He is caught in the circumstances and consequences of those who have chosen to serve Baal even though he has not. God took care of Elijah, but he wasn't exempt from the consequences caused by others. God didn't put him in some cushy place to wait it out. The stream dried up! Then where does God send him? To someone else whose life had dried up.
God used the widow's willingness and Elijah's presence to save her and her son's life. Then later, when her son died, Elijah was there to save his life. If the stream wouldn't have dried up the widow and her son would have starved to death. Elijah would not have been at the right place, at the right time, to save first her and her son, and then later her son.
God can take even the most impossible situation and make good come from it.
Next Entry: I Kings 18:1–46
Elijah.
What kind of faith and courage did it take for Elijah to stand up and make a claim about the future and what God said would happen, before it happened? He trusted God and His word. If God said it, Elijah believed it.
Elijah told Ahab it's not going to rain, and then Elijah left. God gave very clear directions on where he was to go. He sent him to a stream east of the Jordan and the ravens fed him every morning and night. When the stream dried up (because there was no rain), God sent him to a widow's home. The widow's means of living had dried up as well, but she shared what she had and was sustained and blessed for it. Later, when her son died, Elijah prayed and brought him back to life.
Here is what stands out to me. Elijah is being faithful. He is doing what God has asked him to do. Yet, when God sends him to the stream, it dries up! He is caught in the circumstances and consequences of those who have chosen to serve Baal even though he has not. God took care of Elijah, but he wasn't exempt from the consequences caused by others. God didn't put him in some cushy place to wait it out. The stream dried up! Then where does God send him? To someone else whose life had dried up.
God used the widow's willingness and Elijah's presence to save her and her son's life. Then later, when her son died, Elijah was there to save his life. If the stream wouldn't have dried up the widow and her son would have starved to death. Elijah would not have been at the right place, at the right time, to save first her and her son, and then later her son.
God can take even the most impossible situation and make good come from it.
Next Entry: I Kings 18:1–46
No comments:
Post a Comment