"Continuous Supply"

     Then the word of the Lord came to him saying, "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
     And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
     The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
     And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
     Then the word of the Lord came to him saying, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."
     So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink."....
....The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.  1 Kings 17:2-10, 16

In my Bible this section is titled, 'God's provision for Elijah.'  It begins with Elijah being sent to the brook and ends with  a widow, her son, her household, and Elijah being taken care of by a continuous supply of flour and oil.  Normally, I tend to focus on the widow and her responses and the roll they play in this amazing outcome.  A continuous supply of exactly what was needed. 

While it ended with God doing a miracle it began with God having a plan to provide what was needed. In verse 2 it tells us that God Gave Elijah specific directions on where to go and what the plan was.  ...' you shall drink from the brook and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.'  When the brook dried up He told him it was time to leave.  Again, He gave Elijah specific directions on where to go and what His plan was, ..."Go to Zarephath, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."

Normally I see the woman's heart, her willingness to sacrifice from the little she has. Normally I see Elijah's, the raven's, and the widow's obedience. Today I noticed something different. Today I noticed the Father's heart. He put the plan in place. He spoke to Elijah, the ravens, and the widow. He worked it all out so that they were provided for. He had a plan to give them a continuous supply of exactly what was needed.

In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus tells us not to worry about food or clothes etc. After all He clothes the birds and the lilies of the field... How much more so will He care for us.  He has a plan! Its our job to listen, to be obedient, and to trust that He has a continuous supply of exactly what is needed!