A BROOK OR A RIVER

I KINGS 17:3
“Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.”

Instead of a river, God often gives a brook, which may be running today and dried up tomorrow, as it was with Elijah, the Prophet. The reason he does so is to teach us a very valuable lesson, which will be a wonderful addition to our faith. The lesson is for us not to trust in the blessings, but to trust in the Giver of them. God instructs us to “let your conversation (manner of life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He (Jesus Christ) hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5). Since we have the Giver of all blessings, let us be content, for He will meet all of our needs.
The way in which temporal losses are borne, generally reveals the difference between the real Christian and the worldling. The person whose hope is in his possessions is devastated when he loses them; to the extent, he thinks there is nothing else to live for and contemplates suicide. His god has failed him. By contrast, the genuine believer may be severely shaken and deeply depressed by his loss, but he will recover his poise, eventually, and declare, “God is still my portion.” “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.”
As God declared of Israel when they would later be prosperous, “then, he forsook the God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation” (Deuteronomy 32:15); so will it be with us.
We may feel that God has dealt severely with us when we are not given a river, that is to say, bountiful material blessings; but it is because we do not understand the extent our hearts can and will be distracted by them. God is so gracious not to put harmful things into the hands of His children. So, let us be grateful for the blessings He gives us and be content with them for we have Him who is the wise and compassionate Giver.
In His Amazing Grace,
Pastor Ed Bowen