Devotional - Feb. 26, 2025
Scripture: 1 Kings 17: 2-6 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there. ”So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
Elijah's convictions were strong enough to cry out to God and confront Ahab, but God knew his heart and the situation. Elijah needed to stay hidden for a while. He needed to stay out of the limelight due to his encounter with Ahab and what would follow. He also needed time with God to be prepared for this next endeavor. Elijah may have thought what he did was good enough, but there would be more, and God needed to prepare him for it. Hardship and difficult times lay ahead. We too need time to prepare, time to be with God as both respite and preparation for what lies ahead. Not all hardships in our lives fall into this category, but some do. God tells Elijah to go to the Kerith Ravine. Kerith in Hebrew means cut off or to sever from. Elijah was cut off from what he called normal and would need to rely on God for his needs. Interestingly, God chooses ravens to feed him. A raven is one of the birds Noah sends out from the arc to see how things were going. Ravens often symbolized death because they ate things that had died. If the raven had not returned to Noah it would mean dry land had emerged and the ravens could feed on the things that died in the flood. The ravens did not need to go back to the Ark. The call of Elijah was one that would completely sever Israel from the ways of Ahab and Jezebel (Romans 6:11). If Elijah sought to survive and accomplish his task, he needed God's provision and direction. He could not rely on himself (pride) for it. I think it is important that we realize that being a Christian does not mean we are done being prepared, taught, and trained by God. Every phase of life comes with new challenges. Life itself is a challenge. Even in the midst of what Elijah was doing, God calls for Elijah to spend time with God for renewal, enrichment, and to be encouraged. Elijah needed to be reminded not to get too high on himself and to remember Who was bringing everything to pass. It was not Elijah, but God.
Pray with me..., Holy God, keep us humble. Help us keep things in perspective so we can enjoy the life You give. Hear us as we pray for family and friends. We ask Your blessing upon them in accordance with their needs. We ask Your blessing on our church, so we can bless others in Jesus' name, Amen.
God's peace,
Pastor Brian
