I have been leaning into the Lord to learn more about obedience and trust. My mind was blown when He directed me to a story that involved ravens. What I know of ravens cannot be visualized without seeing Edgar Allen Poe’s face while my heart repeats his chilling but memorable line “quoth the Raven, ‘nevermore.’” What in the world does a raven have to do with trusting God and stepping out in faith?
1 Kings 17 is all about Elijah and his journey to the Kerith Ravine, a desolate place which literally translates “to cut off” or “cutdown.” There are things in my heart that I want to do, dreams I want to walk out, but I am afraid to leave what I know to venture into the unknown. My biggest worry to date has been that I will jeopardize my family by putting us in financial strain. To me, providing for my family is not trivial and it is irresponsible for me to consider doing something that could put them at risk. Jesus is teaching me, per usual, that His ways are higher than mine.
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the Ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
1 Kings 17: 2-6
How many of us would be willing to do what Elijah did? Ravens are scavengers. Ravens eat the flesh of dead animals and they are big and ominous. Everything I associate with ravens is death. God is funny, huh?! Even though popular opinion of ravens now and then was not great, God cares for them too. Jesus provides food for the young ravens when they call. Scripture tells us that ravens do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, and yet God feeds them. My whole problem with stepping out in faith is my retirement, my future, my lack of social SECURITY. The lesson we can learn from a scavenger is to trust that our needs will be met. If being free and walking my destiny out means I will be fed from the saliva of a raven carrying my bread, would I do it? Are we willing to get desperate and live day to day leaning on God and not our own understanding? God commanded the ravens and He sent them.
I have two growing boys, and it requires a lot to feed them. Not to mention a golden retriever that eats better than all of us, if you ask Josh! As the boys grow, it will take even more to feed them. The boys will never stop growing, and the Lord knows that. God knows the exact amount you need to leave the job you are miserable in. God knows the exact amount you need to pay your bills. God also knows the exact amount we could stop spending on unneeded things.
But how many of us will keep splurging and forgo saving to keep suffering?
The ravens fed Elijah twice a day. Say it with me- “give us this day our daily bread”... but we don’t like to live like that. God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
You would walk away from a great paying job with benefits, to be mouth fed by a raven? You would risk everything to take a chance on God?
Elijah knew before he left for Kerith Ravine that there would not be rain in three years. There had to be moments that were not documented in scripture where Elijah was like ‘what the heck?’ Why did you bring me here, God? Elijah did what God asked him to do but he still felt the effects of the drought. When we go to the place where we are cut off from the world, its trappings, and its benefits, there will undoubtedly be a learning curve. Jesus did not give Elijah enough food to put in Ziploc bags and store in his deep freeze. Can we handle a dream if it means a daily check-in, a daily heart connect, and a moment-by- moment reliance on Jesus?
Ravens are an example of God’s provision. God will provide for you in ways you don’t expect and in avenues you have not considered. When Noah sent the raven out from the ark, it never returned, You know why? The raven found food. Obedience started out feeding one person, but if you read on in Elijah’s story, it eventually fed three people. And if you keep going, obedience fed 100 prophets. Your first step of obedience will reap a harvest. R. G. Lee said “ we never test the resources of God until we attempt the impossible.” If the Holy Spirit is tapping at the window of your heart and your soul to step out in faith, it can be accomplished. Can we trust the storehouses of heaven to be our resources? Can we decide that being responsible really means complete surrender to our Savior?