Proverbs 18:21
February 7, 2025
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING – 7 FEBRUARY
February 7, 2025
THE 7th OF FEBRUARY
GOD USES EVEN BIRDS TO PROVIDE FOR US IN TIMES OF NEED
And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. – 1 Kings 17:1-5 a
Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, never experienced physical death but was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot as his disciple Elisha watched. During Elijah’s time, Ahab, a king who had committed more evil than all the kings before him, provoked God with his sins. Through Elijah’s message, God extended an opportunity for Ahab to repent.
The drought Elijah declared was a direct consequence of Ahab’s sins and the nation’s rebellion against God. Despite the danger, Elijah obeyed God and left the palace alive. Ahab not only worshiped false gods but also allowed his wife Jezebel to murder God’s prophets. Sometimes, God calls us to step into situations we perceive as risky, yet the safest place we can be is where God directs us. Disobedience often takes us out of God’s protective care, which can lead to unnecessary hardship.
Elijah faced Ahab boldly, knowing that God was with him. Interestingly, God only revealed how He would sustain Elijah after he obeyed. Elijah was instructed to go to the Brook Cherith, where God provided for him through an extraordinary means—ravens brought him bread and meat twice daily, and he drank from the brook. Though the source of the food remains unknown, the ravens fulfilled their God-given assignment faithfully. When the brook eventually dried up, God provided another place of refuge and sustenance for Elijah.
SUGGESTED PRAYER
Lord, I thank You for Your constant protection and provision when I live in obedience to You. Help me to trust You fully, even when fear or discouragement tries to overwhelm me. Remind me that the safest place to be is always where You have called me. Just as You commanded the ravens to feed Elijah and hid him from those who sought to harm him, I trust that You will take care of me, no matter how unusual my circumstances may seem. Help me to recognize Your voice and respond with a willing heart. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen
