In our first year in college, Connie and I knew each other enough to go on dates. We knew each other much better after we married. Now after 52 years of marriage, which includes weathering some serious storms together, we definitely know each other. This is like knowing God. Our trust improves the more we experience with Him and how intimately we get to know Him.
One indicator of the depth of one’s relationship with God is how a person responds when God does something they don’t expect or don’t agree with. Their response reveals how well they know God’s character, wisdom, knowledge or ways. The closer they are to Him, the quicker they trust and obey Him.
These were God’s instructions to his prophet Elijah, “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan (1 Kings 17:2-3, ESV). Elijah had just finished obeying God’s instruction to brazenly tell the king there would not be any rain or even dew until he said it would happen. That took guts and sounded very presumptuous! Only a crazy or a heavily anointed person would do that. After stepping out to do that, the same God who told him what to say to the king, now tells him to go hide! What? What happened to his heavy anointing after courageously doing God bidding? If he didn’t really know God intimately, his pride after doing such a thing could have more easily motivated him to disobey God’s blatantly strange command. But knowing God as he did, he lovingly obeyed.
What is more, God told him to go hide by a brook not a river where water would flow year round. Brooks can dry up overnight! God commanded ravens (not known for their sharing of food) to feed Elijah. Then the brook where God told him to go dried up! That too is a strange thing to happen after God told him to go there. However, the Spirit had provided another place to feed Elijah in Zarephath.
We can only speculate, but knowing a few of God’s ways, He most likely didn’t want Elijah to become distracted by His provisions while hiding by the brook. He wanted Elijah to remain focused on obeying Him, even when his situation and new command didn’t make sense. What separates a spiritually mature believer from an immature one is how they respond when life doesn’t make sense. The mature person will love, trust and obey even if it sounds insane and most certainly goes against one’s preferences or emotional need for security.
In the last week, much to my surprise, I’ve encountered heart problems that require open heart surgery. This discovery even surprised my cardiologist who did my heart cath. What has been amazing to Connie and me, knowing this will mean a major change in lifestyle, is we both have a strong sense of God’s peace. Our soul has responded with natural curiosity and some angst, not about the surgery but to what will happen after the surgery. We both are fully aware our peace is a gift from God—but has also flowed naturally out of a continued growing relationship with Him.
Knowing God is a lifelong journey. How have you responded when He led you in a very strange and confusing path? Your response gives you a clue as to where you are in your faith journey. If you find your responses have not been as healthy as you would like, it is God’s grace to let you know your condition and is now watching closely to see if you will change your lifestyle to more passionately pursue Him or let that awareness pass and go on with life the way it has been. I pray whatever He asks of you will reveal what He wants to do in your spiritual life, and you will chase after Him.
Praying for you and Connie especially in these days of surgery and recovery. You are both such a blessing to me!
Great message! God has you in the palm of His hand. Rest and recover in His love and protection. Thinking of you and your family.