Elijah’s Lesson

My name is Elijah.

Sure, I’m the prophet who never died, but there were a few times I really believed I was about to.

Just like you I’ve had to endure tough times, keep my passions from ruining my life, and handle a powerful force called fear. Yes, it’s true; I have passions just like you.

I hail from a little town called Tishbe. It’s not much; just two stop signs in the whole town. A small school is situated on the north edge of town. I did all right as a student, but never established myself as a leader of men. For me, I’d much rather hide in the shadows than address a crowd.

Man, was I in for a surprise.

As a young man just out of high school I received a visitation from God one day. That’s when I learned of the call of God. It’s when I began to witness the supernatural hand of God upon my life.

Still, I didn’t enjoy the work; I would have rather worked at the neighborhood groceteria. But that wasn’t God’s plan.

Times were tough in our nation. We had a king who didn’t know how to lead others, couldn’t work well with anyone, and had only one advisor. His wife.

I remember the day when the word of the Lord told me to go and visit king Ahab. I tried to get out of it by explaining to the Lord I had an appointment with an oral surgeon, to have a root canal. He didn’t buy it for a minute, I soon found myself walking into the king’s palace in Jezreel.

The look on Ahab’s face when I said, “It’s not going to rain in this nation until I give the word.” Oh, what a sight. Definitely one of those Kodak moments.

I was flying high as I left the palace. I was ready to take the king’s cadre of servants and prophesy to each one of them. However, the Lord had other plans.

“Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” (1 Kings 17:3-4 NLT)

Ravens to bring me food? I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Ravens? Come on, Lord. Yet the Lord was teaching me something I needed to learn.

You see, a person can be anointed to stop the rain and even call down fire from Heaven, but still have a problem with trusting God for the day to day things. But God is faithful. And he who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it.

So, anyway, I did as I was commanded, and hiked over to the brook. I’ll never forget the first day when a flock of ravens arrived at my camp, each with a beak full of bread. Wow.

But just about the time I was finally settling in, something happened.

My brook dried up.

Can you believe it? I couldn’t. I was just a little ticked at God. After all, I had turned down a promising career in the supermarket business to follow God’s leading into prophet’s ministry. I had heard of some prophets who always had big meetings with big offerings, but God hadn’t blessed in that manner. No, only ravens with bread for me.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

About the time I was to complain to God about my disparate treatment, the word of God came to me again.

“Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” (1 Kings 17:9 NLT)

Now we’re getting somewhere. At least now I get to live in a town.

When I got off the bus in Zarephath, I could barely believe my eyes. Jerusalem it wasn’t. Jezreel, not even close. It appeared like they didn’t even have a Walmart in town. And not sure where to go, I began walking to what I assumed was the center of town.

Then my eyes caught sight of a little lady, probably in her early to mid thirties, walking around the park with her son, gathering sticks. Right away, I sensed the poke of the Lord.

“That’s the one, Elijah.”

Excited, believing my future was secure, I approached the two and introduced myself.

“Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” I asked. As she started toward the well I thought to myself, “Hallelujah! Elijah, you’ve got it made now.”

Then, as a second thought, I hollered, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

My expectation? I was certain she’d holler back, “Yes sir. Got you covered, sir.”

But that isn’t what she said. “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.”

About that time, deep within my spirit, the lesson the Lord was trying to teach me opened before my very eyes. He was teaching me that he alone is my source. No one else. Not Ahab or his nasty wife, Jezebel. Not the ravens or the brook. Not the widow or her son.

Not even the groceteria.

He’s the one who gives me the power to get wealth.

God and God alone.

So with authority and boldness from the Lord I 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. 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.” (1 Kings 17:13-14 NLT)

And folks, the bread was awesome!

Are you going through troublesome times? Do you feel like God keeps letting you down? Why is there so much disappointment while serving the Lord?

Is it that, perhaps, God is helping you realize who your source really is?

“Man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

And when you do things right, you get to eat the bread.

And man, oh man, does the bread taste good!