RTW 2022

So, Elijah did as the LORD told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan.
1 Kings 17:5

At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.
2 Chronicles 16:7

What enemy am I still battling because I didn’t trust the LORD?

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It was a crucial time in the history of Israel. It looked as if the worship of the true God might be completely eliminated in the northern kingdom. “The land swarmed with the priests of Baal and of the groves – proud of Court favour; glorying in their sudden rise to power; insolent, greedy, licentious, and debased. The fires of persecution were lit, and began to burn with fury.” – Meyer

In times like these, in our great hour of loneliness let’s follow Elijah’s example.

• Make statements that demonstrate the source of your strength, but first identify the source of your strength. (Elijah predicted the drought.)
  Tell people who you are trusting and why; what you believe and why.

• Obey whatever God asks. If God wants to take a risk during times like these, obey Him. Elijah faced Ahab with the news of the drought.

• Follow wherever the Lord leads. Hide in the cleft of the Rock, and rest in His love, protection, and provision. Elijah hid by the Brook Cherith.
  “There, child, thou hast had enough of this hurry, and publicity, and excitement; get thee hence, and hide thyself by the brook – hide thyself in the Cherith of the sick chamber; or in the Cherith of disappointed hopes; or in the Cherith of bereavement; or in some solitude from which the crowds have ebbed away.” –  F.B. Meyer

Charles Spurgeon drew two points of application from this event, likening the food “the ravens brought to spiritual food. First, he recognized that God may bring a good word to us through an unclean vessel, spiritually unclean, like a raven. Second, that one can bring spiritual food to others and still be unclean spiritually themselves. But see, too, how possible it is for us to carry bread and meat to God’s servants, and do, some good things for his church, and yet be ravens still!” – Charles Spurgeon

Should the brook dry up?

• Keep trusting God. He wants us to trust Him, and not just His gifts.
  “Why does God let them dry? He wants to teach us not to trust in His gifts but in Himself. He wants to drain us of self, as He drained the apostles by ten days of waiting before Pentecost. He wants to loosen our roots ere He removes us to some other sphere of service and education. He wants to put in stronger contrast the river of throne-water that never dries.” – F.B. Meyer

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Be prayed up and faith strong, for times like these.