When Ravens Provide

UV3429/10000 When Ravens Provide
And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he would drink from the brook.

I Kings 17 v 6

The prophet Elijah had prophesied years of famine in Israel owing to the evil ways of the king Ahab. But even in that difficult situation, the word of the Lord came to Elijah to go eastward and hide near the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan river. When the water of the brook dried up, he was then directed to go to Zarephath where he was told he would be provided food by a widow. Though the widow had not enough even to feed herself and her son, the Spirit of God persuaded her to feed Elijah and caused the little flour and little oil in a jar to be sufficient to feed the three of them for many days.

Ravens are usually ravenous when it comes to food. Two days ago, I heard from my cousin’s family visiting India from New Zealand how a crow attacked them and grabbed whatever food they had just bought inside the airport. Yesterday, I heard a true story of how the above uni-verse inspired and transformed a young man. The family had lost their bread winner quite early as his father died when he was young. He being the oldest son had to work to support the mother and four younger siblings. One day he heard the above uni-verse at a revival meeting when the preacher said, “ The God of Elijah provided for him through a crow and likewise, He can provide for you.” The verse touched his heart and he believed it. Soon he joined the army, worked for some time and then left the army. God gave him wisdom to conduct tuitions for school students. A certain man was impressed by his ability to teach and told him to start a school and gave him four acres of land. The school which he called Carmel. Since he had to take care of his mother and siblings, he devoted himself to them and did not think of marriage. But at the age of 38, the same gentleman asked him to marry his daughter. Today, in his eighties, he is the President and founder of five schools of the well established and known Carmel group.

The same ravens or crows that usually grabs food from people were used by God to feed His servant , the prophet Elijah. He sent the man who owned land to counsel the young man to start the school and provided for him and his family like Elijah received bread and meat both morning and evening from the ravens. He not only supported the start of a school but also gave his daughter ‘s hand in marriage at an age when he had given up hope of raising a family. Such are the remarkable and miraculous ways of the Lord. If we exercise our faith in him even in difficult and impossible situations, He will surely more than justify our faith in His word.