What If You Obey and the Ravens Don't Come?

Throughout Scripture, we are told to obey God. In the Hebrew, this means to listen to God and act accordingly.

The popular notion is that when we obey God, good things will happen. He will provide for us. A good example is found in 1 Kings 17:24 when God directs Elijah to go to Kerith and hide.

"Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 'Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.' So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." (1 Kings 17:2-4)

But what would Elijah have done, if after obeying God, help never came. Would he have thought God deceived him? Or did he misunderstand what God said?

Think about the times you prayed to God for something and he did not "send the ravens".

How do you feel when you obey God and the ravens don't come in your life? When God does not provide as you expected, as you believe he promised.

Do you still submit to his holy and true will, recognizing he is in control, and thanking him for what he has ordained and not what you wanted to happen?

The crux of obedience to God is to accept whatever happens as his holy and true will no matter what happens, even when he does not send the ravens in your life.