DoublePortion_October2023_8.5x5.5_REV.indd

Moving ahead in the account of the life of Elijah, we discover that he faced a crisis far worse than a missed flight. Due to a lack of rain, the water supply dried up.The ravens that had supplied bread and meat disappeared, leaving him hungry and thirsty. Maybe you have plenty to eat and drink, yet you still face a crisis. If not, one may be lurking.They tend to do that, you know. When such a situation occurs, apply the following three principles, taken from the central text for this chapter (1 Kings 17: 7-17). Draw strength from previous periods of solitude and perceived inactivity. Note the little phrase that begins this section, “some time later” (1 Kings 17:7).That sounds like just a few days based on the pace in our world today.Yet, given the context and interpretation, it was no doubt an extended period of time. As one commentator writes, “In the history before us, the expression,‘after a while’ denotes at least a whole year; for so long does Elijah appear to have continued in the wilderness.” 1 With that in mind, consider the number of occasions that God kept His servants in the wilderness. After killing an Egyptian, Moses stayed 40 years in the Midian desert to escape from Phar aoh.The Israelites spent another 40 years there before entering the promised land. Paul lived for three years in the Arabian desert be tween the time he was converted and launched into his missionary work. Jesus Himself spent 40 days in the wilderness, fasting before entering public ministry.Why would God arrange matters in such a way? The Israelites received these words, “You shall remember all the way in which the LORD your has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that he might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2). As this verse confirms, one reason God arranges periods of extended isolation is for the purpose of testing. Such times expose

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