Our Ultimate Source of Provision and Satisfaction

"You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 1 Kings 17:4 (ESV)

In 1 Kings chapter 17, we are introduced to Elijah, an unlikely prophet of God. It's here that we witness normal guy from the hills of Gilead standing in front of King Ahab, boldly declaring that there would be no dew or rain for several years. Can you imagine the faith it would take to tell an infamously evil king that there would be no rain for years? Elijah's faith was strong, and his obedience is inspiring. 

After speaking with the king, God tells Elijah to go into hiding beside a brook called, Cherith. He tells Elijah that he will drink from the brook and eat food brought by ravens. This promise is an interesting one because brooks typically only have water when the rain comes. During a drought, most brooks dry up. So, where would the water come from? And ravens delivering food; that sounds outlandish! Ravens are scavengers, always searching for food and even fighting other animals for it. It seems highly unlikely that a raven would willingly deliver bread and meat to Elijah twice a day.

Elijah has already said it would be years until the rain comes, so even though he is fully aware that he will be hiding out beside a little, potentially dried up brook with provisions brought by a notoriously greedy bird, he is obedient. I can't help but wonder what was going through Elijah's mind. Was he 100% sure that God would provide in such a strange way or was he just scared of King Ahab so hiding sounded like a good idea? When he arrived at the secluded area, was he afraid that he had heard God wrong? Did he doubt the promise of God? Was he fearful that he would die there? 

There's a question that must be asked --- why would God orchestrate such an odd, seemingly impossible way to sustain Elijah? I believe it's because God wanted Elijah to fully grasp that God Himself was his provision. The unreliable resources Elijah was surrounded by wouldn't be what sustained Elijah. It would be God alone.

The same is true for us. When we are in need physically, emotionally, spiritually, or financially, God wants us to see that He alone is what we need. Maybe He allows the things around us to be lacking or our situations to seem impossible so we're able to fully recognize God as our ultimate source of provision and satisfaction. 

We will only witness God come through for us in miraculous ways when we believe the miraculous is necessary. As humans with continual basic needs, we see the miraculous as most necessary when the people, things, and resources are unreliable. When we come to the end of what we can make happen, like a brook that's drying up, that's when our eyes will be open enough to see God replenishing the brook and providing for us in incredible, miraculous ways. 

No matter what you face today or how bleak your circumstances may feel, I encourage you to remind yourself often that God is your ultimate source of provision and satisfaction. Open your eyes and watch as God comes through for you in ways only He can!

Tori