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 – 1 Kings 17:3-4

This Papa that we serve! It is amazing the things He does and how He does them sometimes. His ways are unfathomable and His methods mind-boggling. Some of the things He says sound ridiculous to even consider; yet, they are the only absolutes in your life. The word of God is creative, healing, fulfilling, and satisfying. It is the best food for the soul and spirit. The sooner we readily bring ourselves to accept and yield to Him, the better it is for us.

Consider what God commanded Elijah to do after he declared the drought in Israel for “the next few years” (1 Kings 17:1). It was a declaration of war against the idolatrous nation of Israel. Of course that drew a strong response from King Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel. So, God sent him to hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan River (17:3).

Can you believe that? Is that the best the God Almighty could do to save his prophet from mere humans – to run and hide?

But that is one of the seemingly ridiculous ways of God by which He reveals His glory in our life. And if you thought that was ridiculous, consider the next sentence in the verse. “You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there” (4).

What! Birds to feed a human being! Preposterous, is it not? Yet, God was on His throne. Elijah received an invitation to enter His supernatural realm to behold His glory.

Where is faith at such times? Where is the knowledge of God for faith to latch on to? Where are patience and calmness when we are exploding with anger at something somebody said, or fearful of a threatening situation? But that is the lifeline of the believer in Christ Jesus. As it is written: “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).  And, “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).

Walk through the “Hall of Faith,” and you will realize that it is impossible to receive from God and to endure hardship and disappointments, without knowing and holding on to Him.

The good news is that we can learn from Elijah’s faith in this story. We can pray to understand what elevated his faith to such ridiculous level of trust and obedience. Amazingly, he got it right. We encourage ourselves with what we learn and trust God for faithfulness. For, God is full of surprises! His ridiculous ways are training grounds for our faith, if we allow them.

So, train your ears to discern God’s voice that calls for absolute trust and obedience. Elevate your faith to the realm of God’s extravagant grace, and experience Elijah’s blessings for his faith and zeal for God’s holiness.