Ravens? Widow? Angel of the Lord?

Sleep.  Eat. Sleep. Eat some more.

There are days like this in the life of a child of God.  When all our internal resources are depleted.  When all the nourishment has been sucked out of us. And there is nothing more left for us to do, nothing more spiritual for us to do than sleep.  And eat.  And sleep and eat some more.

This is Elijah at the end of three and a half years of drought.  This is Elijah after the showdown at Mt. Carmel and after the thunderstorm that announced the end of the heaven-declared season of dryness.  This is Elijah, the fugitive, the wanted man, Jezabel’s arch-nemesis.

I can’t help but notice the progression in Elijah’s God-appointed food distribution system

First, the ravens.

I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there… I Kings 17:3-4

Then, an impoverished widow.

I have commanded a widow there to provide for you… I Kings 17:9

At last, the angel of the Lord. I Kings 19:5-8

The Lord Himself, the pre-Christmas Christ comes down to the weary servant sleeping under the juniper tree and makes his lunch!

Bread of heaven.

Manna in the wilderness.

Five loaves that fed five thousand.

The Bread of Life.

Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you true bread out of heaven.  For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world…I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.  John 6:31-35