PREPARING
FOR GREATER
Part
one of five in Serving God Series
1 Kings
17:1-24
Matthew
17:20: “He replied, [answering why the
disciples couldn’t drive out a demon from a man’s son in Matthew 17:14-16] ‘Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as
small as a mustard seed, you can say to his mountain, ‘Move from here to there’
and it will move. Nothing will be
impossible for you.”
I hope that you learned from
what ten year old friends Jeremy, Brad, Cassie and Missy grew through in
previous devotions. Every person has to
start somewhere, and we continue growing each day where we left off yesterday. The goal is to grow spiritually a tiny bit
every day because: spiritual growth takes a lifetime!
Unfortunately, spiritual growth (increasing one’s faith
for service), is learned through trials and tribulations. Hardships are unpredictable. We can’t see them coming. We can’t make them magically disappear. We just wish they’d go away. But don’t whine too loudly, you’re in good
company.
Elijah was one of God’s greatest prophets. 1 Kings chapter 17 shows Elijah enrolled in
God’s faith-growing program. The Lord challenged
him with increasingly hard lessons to grow from. In 1 Kings 17:2-6, Elijah learned total
dependence on God. He drank water from a
brook, and ate bread and meat that the ravens brought him every morning and
evening.
Then the brook dried up.
The Lord sent Elijah to meet a poor widow. Elijah asked her to bring him water and a
piece of bread. She insisted that she
only had enough flour and oil to make one last meal for her son and herself. She figured that they would starve after eating
that.
Elijah convinced her to do as he asked; promising that her
flour and oil wouldn’t run out until the Lord allows it to rain (1 Kings
17:14). Elijah passed his midway test. They had food every day. Yah!
Then the woman’s son died. The woman wailed to Elijah, “What do you have
against me, man of God?” (1 Kings 17:17-18).
Big sigh.
Elijah took the boy to his room. He cried out to God, then stretched himself
over the boy three times. The Lord heard
Elijah’s cry and gave the boy his life back in 1 Kings 17:18-22.
First Elijah learned to depend on God for his own survival. Then he depended on God for the survival of
the widow and her son. Finally, Elijah
cried out to God to bring the boy back to life.
Take
Home Nugget
Elijah’s resurrecting the boy wasn’t his grand
finale. That just prepared Elijah for
even greater service. See the lesson,
below, to learn more about Elijah.
God uniquely challenges us to surpass
every challenge He brings for our growth.
J.D.
Griffith
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