No Water This Time

1 Kings 17

God has me sitting by the brook.

He is asking me to wait on him.
He is asking me to trust in him.
He is asking me to ask for wisdom from him.


St. Augustine said, 'God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil to exist.' In Elijah's case, although the brook had dried up, God had Plan B. God did not give Elijah Plan B until the brook was completely dry. When Elijah came out the first morning and found the water level had dropped a bit, he probably would have appreciated it if God would have rang him up right then and said, 'Don't sweat it, Elijah. You've got about a week left. And at the end of that week, I'm going to send you somewhere else where you'll be taken care of.' No, I think God let the brook go completely dry maybe even for a day or two before He spoke to Elijah. That's the way God works often. Maybe Elijah was on his knees in the middle of the brook, crying, 'G-o-d!' finally the Lord said, 'Get down to Zarephath' Elijah probably said, 'Alright!' - until he heard that it would be a widow who would take care of him. 'A widow?' he must have wondered. 'Are You sure You have that right!

Just as God was refining Elijah, God is refining my soul for much greater things in his kingdom The sum will be much great than the parts.

Elijah didn't know what the Lord had in store. He didn't know what the future held. But God did, and He was preparing Elijah for tomorrow. My brook may be dry. But I don't know what God has in store.

He's refining me.

He's teaching me faith.

He's preparing me for greater things.

This dry brook taught Elijah to trust in the Lord and in His Word. As a result, when God spoke to Elijah, Elijah obeyed.

God speaks to me as well.

I need to learn to surrender in obedience to His refining process in my life.


It's difficult when God allows us to pass through times of difficulties and trials. But I need to learn to trust and obey Him, for God is teaching me faith.

Remember Hebrews 11:1

Faith and Obedience - How can I practically turn calamity into capital as Elijah did? Two simple ways:

Faith and Obedience.

Verse 2, the Word of the Lord came to Elijah.
Verse 5, he did according to the Word of the Lord.
Verse 8, the Word of the Lord came to Elijah.
Verse 10, he did according to the Word.

'I don't know what to do,' I cry. 'My brook is dry.'

All God wants me to do is simply trust and obey

Lord, help me as I learn every day to trust and obey. Bring me from the dry brook to springs of living water so I may experience the joy of what greater things you may have in store for us. While I wait, give me patience and wisdom as I come before you every day and ask that your grace and mercy to be evident in my life as I continue the Adventure in Middle Grove.

(based on sermon and notes from JP Miller )