(Original Post February 2010)
Isn't it amazing how God brings an encouraging word right on time? He is so awesome! So I've had this word on my mind the past few days, "Dry". I had no idea what it meant, and I feared that God was speaking to me about my spiritual relationship with Him, or our finances since we are in a recession. So many things came to mind. I even started writing songs about being refreshed in His presence, the River of Life. I don't know if it was divine inspiration or fear. lol. But this morning I heard a small devotional by Pastor Steve Furtick and he shared from a portion of scripture that I completely overlooked. 1 Kings 17. The story of king Ahab and Elijah. The story of the famine and drought. He mentioned how Elijah had been obedient to God in everything God had asked him to do. And God was faithful to Elijah by giving him directions on where to go. He went to the Kerith Ravine, where God sent Ravens to feed him and provided water from the brook. Keep in mind this is in the middle of a famine, so God was taking care of His boy. After a while the brook dried up. That's so powerful. The brook dried up. Not because Elijah was being punished, but because there was a drought across the land. Let's stop right here. What would we do at that instance? How many of us would fight with God. "Lord, I've been so faithful to You and this is how you watch out for me? What's going on!". It might be that in your life your going through a dried up brook of finances, love, relationships, even peace and joy and you don't get it. God is up to something. Lets move on.
Then God speaks to Elijah again sending him somewhere else. He heads to Zarephath where we read the story of the widow and her son. While in Zarephath Elijah both is fed and supernaturally provides in abundance for the widow and her son. From Zarephath he moves on and ends up at Mount Caramel where one of the greatest biblical battles is portrayed between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. And we can go on and on. The point is this. Yes your brook is probably dried up, but it's because God wants to move you further to the next level. To something greater. How many times do we miss out on opportunities in life or great blessings because we are in our comfort zone.? But sometimes it takes for God to dry up your brook, whatever that may be, to move us up to what's ahead. Do not fear and know that God is with you. Just listen to His voice as He wants to direct you in the right direction, at the right time.