遇到试炼？倚靠神吧！
列王纪上十七章1至7节
1基列寄居的提斯比人以利亚对亚哈说：我指着所事奉永生耶和华─以色列的神起誓，这几年我若不祷告，必不降露，不下雨。
2耶和华的话临到以利亚说：
3你离开这里往东去，藏在约但河东边的基立溪旁。
4你要喝那溪里的水，我已吩咐乌鸦在那里供养你。
5于是以利亚照着耶和华的话，去住在约但河东的基立溪旁。
6乌鸦早晚给他叼饼和肉来，他也喝那溪里的水。
7过了些日子，溪水就干了，因为雨没有下在地上。
信息分享
以利亚向以色列王亚哈传递神的信息之后，神便对他说：「你马上离开这里，走到别处去躲藏起来。」我们听完这句话，会有甚么反应呢？以利亚可能会想：「亚哈如果知道我逃跑，会有甚么想法呢？百姓又会有甚么想法呢？我连神所说的基立溪，也不知道在哪里。」
我们很容易会有这种想法；但神的指示却不可能出错。神已经清楚吩咐他，以利亚也听得很清楚，知道目的地是基立溪。于是，第5节便说：「以利亚便照着主的吩咐去了。」
神不单给以利亚一个命令，更还有一个应许。留意神在第4节已清楚表明：「我已吩咐乌鸦在那里供养你。」神已应许赐下食物，但条件是要「在那里」。换言之，神对他说：「以利亚，如果你想得着我的供应，就要听从我的指示去到那里。」神的命令总是附带着应许。神用甚么途径来供养以利亚呢？竟然是食肉的黑乌鸦！而且，牠们在足足一年的时间，每天一早一晚两次飞来，即至少飞了720次来提供送餐服务！
食物的供应从不断绝；然而，溪水却干涸了。当目睹溪水逐渐干涸的时候，以利亚究竟有何感想呢？等候神的下一步带领，真的很不容易，你同意吗？虽然在那段期间，以利亚与主有亲密的相交；可是，主却没有给他进一步的指示，直至溪水完全干涸为止。
溪水为甚么干涸呢？因为以利亚曾经求神不下雨，神应允了他的祷告。祂也应允我们的祷告。然而，为了锻炼你的忍耐、更多的爱心和更大的信心，你却首先要目睹溪水逐渐干涸──这时候，神其实正应允我们的所求。信靠祂吧！神清楚知道自己正在做些甚么。
请记着：我们的神是全备的神，没有任何东西可与祂相比！
TESTED? COUNT ON GOD
1 Kings 17:1-7
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
2 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
5 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.
6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
Message
Have you ever wondered why God has led you into unexpected circumstances? A place that is opposite to what you would have planned? If so, Elijah's year at Cherith will seem familiar to you. The unexpectedness of God's methods can often bring delightful surprises.
Elijah had delivered God's message. Then God said, "Leave here and go to hide." What would have been our reaction? "What will Ahab think? What will the people think? Where is this creek? I don't even know where it is."
It would be easy to think like that. But the instructions were unmistakable. God had spoken. Elijah had heard and his ticket said "Cherith". Notice verse 5: "So he did what the Lord had told him."
God gave Elijah a promise as well as a command. Notice the certainty of it in verse 4: "I have ordered" - there is certainty. "The ravens to feed you" - there is sufficiency. "There" - that is the condition. In other words, God was saying, "Elijah, if you want what I will provide for you, you have to go where I tell you." That is always God's way. How did God supply? He used most unlikely means - black meat-eating crows! When did they come? Every morning and evening for twelve months! That means at least 720 flights by God's catering service.
The supply of food never stopped but the brook did. What would Elijah's thoughts have been as he watched the brook slowly run dry? Waiting for God's next move is never easy, isn't it? No doubt Elijah had wonderful fellowship with the Lord during that twelve months but God did not give any further instruction until the brook finally dried up.
Why did the brook run dry? Elijah had prayed for a drought. God was answering his prayer. Watch how God answers your prayer for patience, for love and for more faith. He will answer but you may see the brook run dry first. He is just answering your own prayer. Trust him. He knows what He is doing.
REMEMBER - Our all-sufficient God is more than equal to anything, anywhere.