Will God Take Care Of Me?
“And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” - 1 Kings 17:4-6
“What’s for dinner?” “I’m hungry!” “How soon do we eat?” These are all questions we have either asked or have heard, especially from children. Hunger is an issue that still faces humanity today. Although there is enough food produced globally to feed the approximate 8 billion people alive today, roughly 690 million people go hungry every day. They do not know where their next meal will come from or even if there will be a next meal. Think about it, almost 10% of the world’s population deals with hunger and the lack of food daily! What is hunger? Is it simply missing a meal or two? Hunger is the distress associated with the lack of food. True hunger is when people go periods of time experiencing severe food insecurity due to lack of money to buy food, access to food, or other resources. In all honesty, if you are reading this blog, whether on your phone, computer, tablet, or smart TV, most likely right now is not a time that you are facing true hunger. However, many people around this globe are. This is due to many reasons. We all are faced with the fact of life that we all need provision daily. We all wonder, “Will God take care of me?” Today I want us to see a story in Scripture that lets us know the answer to that question, which is yes!
Lack of Blessing
Due to idolatry and the nation of Israel all but turning their back on Jehovah, Elijah tells Ahab that there is about to be a drought. There was about to be a great lack of water that the nation would face. An abundance of water, other than a literal flood, was a sign of blessing from God. The drought signified that God was withholding His blessing from Israel due to the lack of obedience and worship. Elijah announced this to King Ahab because he was the reason for the curse of no rain and no dew. No moisture from heaven for years. People, animals, crops, and nature all need a supply of water to survive. Without the moisture or water for years, then everything would suffer. Ahab was so hardened and calloused to God that he didn’t care when Elijah announced the drought.
Place of Blessing
God meets us in our time of need. He cares for His own. Beginning in verse 2 God tells Elijah where to go to receive His provision for him. God told him to go camp by the brook Cherith. This was God’s first place of blessing for Elijah. It is important for us to obey God and be in the place of blessing to receive His blessing. The brook was where Elijah would receive his water. The brook was the source of water for him. Being by the brook was important for food too. God told Elijah that He had commanded the ravens to feed him there. If Elijah did not obey God and go to the brook Cherith, not only would he miss out on God’s provision of water for him but also on God’s provision of food: “I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.” Beside the brook Cherith became the next place of blessing for Elijah. If you and I want God, our Father, to take care of us, it is important for us to obey Him and go to or remain in the place of blessing. When God says, “Go,” we go. Where God says to go, that is where we go. We also go when God says to go. We must be in God’s place of provision when God intends to provide for us so we don’t miss His blessings.
In verse 7, the Bible says, “And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” God’s place of blessing for Elijah was about to change. In verses 9-10 we read that God said, “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath.” When God told Elijah to move, he moved. Where God told Elijah to go, he went. Simple obedience, immediate and direct, is what God expects from His own. God has a place of blessing for you right now. Are you in the place of blessing and ready to receive His blessing? Do you know where it is? If you are not there now, how long will it take for you to get there? To receive His blessing, you must be in the place of blessing.
Channel of Blessing
God took care of His prophet. Elijah obeyed God. He went where God told him to go, when God told him to go. He was in the place of blessing while others were missing out on the blessing. At first, God told him to be beside the brook Cherith. Next, God told him to go to Zarephath. Elijah never missed a blessing because he obeyed and was in the place of blessing each time. Now, for the supernatural. In one place of blessing God used birds, specifically ravens, to feed Elijah. The ravens brought him bread and meat. They brought him enough to suffice his health needs as a human. I have enjoyed throwing out bread and crackers to birds and watching them fight over them. I can’t imagine having the birds bring me food. It was God. God took care of His own. Whether or not God uses the birds to meet yours or my needs, I just want to know I am in the place of blessing where God tells me to be.
God also used a poor, penniless widow as a channel of blessing for Elijah. When Elijah went down to Zarephath, he met the widow and told her to make food for him first then for her and her son. She thought they were about to die. But God’s blessing for Elijah also included the blessing for her and her son. Elijah told her in verse 14, “For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.” Wow! Promised provision till God lifted the curse and poured out rain from heaven. Elijah obeyed God and enjoyed God’s provision. The widow obeyed the prophet and enjoyed God’s provision for her and her son. The widow was a channel of blessing for both Elijah and for her son. Simple obedience brings great blessings.
So, my question for you is, “Are you hungry?” Are you hungry for God? Are you hungry for His blessing in your life? Are you struggling with the belief that God will take care of you? Are you willing to obey Him right now? Are you in the place of blessing for you and those under your care?
