1Kings 17:6 "and the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook..."
The Old Testament prophet Elijah had just confronted the King who worshiped Baal..and now The Lord had spoken to Elijah to hide himself by a brook called Cherith. There, God had commanded the ravens to bring him food, morning and evening....and he was able to drink water from the brook. God's provision is amazing to me. In a nation that was required by law to care for its prophets, it's interesting that God used ravens (unclean animals) to care for Elijah...but God has help where and when we least expect it. He can provide for us in ways that we would never be able to imagine!
It happened that eventually, the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. When that happened, The Lord spoke to Elijah to arise, and to leave that place. God had something else in mind for Elijah...a new plan...and He sent him to a widow woman who cared for him. I have wondered a couple of times...what would have happened if Elijah hadn't listened to God? What if he had simply decided that his own plan was better..or that God's plan didn't make sense so he would go his own way? What if he had stayed where he was? Having sat next to a dry brook or two in my life, I know how difficult change can be.
Most change really isn't bad. It's just that we become accustomed to our life the way it is...and to shake things up a bit, just isn't in our plan. Some of the most difficult times we can experience can be in some of the simplest things...moving from one house to another..changing jobs...meeting new people...but these can also be some of the most rewarding things!
Years ago, my husband and I began to know that it was time for us to move forward in our lives, and to leave some of the people we loved most in the world. We knew that The Lord was calling us out from where we were. We knew that He wanted us to sit at his feet. We knew that He wanted a deeper relationship with us...and we knew that these things wouldn't happen if we stayed where we were. Some folks ridiculed us. Some tried to persuade us to stay. All thought we were crazy...but we knew..that we were hearing from The Lord.
Beloved, God has a beautiful plan for your life...as well as a purpose. Sometimes however, the plan of God doesn't seem to make sense. Sometimes it isn't the popular thing among friends. Sometimes it doesn't unfold in such a way that you can see every step...but if you'll trust Him..you will begin to see that His purpose for you is much greater than you might have imagined. When Elijah was sitting by the brook, being fed by the ravens, I wonder if he could have imagined that God was going to use him to provide food for a widow woman...or that he would have the privilege to pray for a young man who had died, and God would bring him back to life.
Much of the time, because we cannot see what lies ahead, it just seems easier to stay in our comfort zones.
I encourage you today...if you have begun to sense the nudge in your heart from the Holy Spirit, that it's time for something to change...pay attention. Is there an area in your life that has simply "dried up"? Is God speaking to you that it's time to move on? Is there something that used to hold a great deal of joy for you, that maybe now has become simply what is expected? I know change can be difficult...but when you get to the other side of whatever it is that God is speaking to you about...you will begin to know and understand what the purpose was in the change...and you will enjoy getting to know The Lord in an even deeper way. Your trust in God will grow, as you realize you are letting go of your own ideas, and are trusting His. You will be less affected by the opinions of others,, as you learn that God can fully speak to YOU about your life. Wherever it is that He is taking you...do not fear. He is going with you! Ask Him to prepare your heart for the journey...and remember Psalm 16..."thou wilt show me the path of life...in thy presence is fullness of joy...at thy right hand, there are pleasures forevermore."