📖 From the Bible
Every morning and every evening, ravens brought Elijah bread and meat. He drank water from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, because it hadn’t rained.
6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. 7After a while, the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
This is how we tell this passage to kids. The exact words of the Bible are under “As it is in the Bible”.
1 Kings 17:6-7 · Scripture: World English Bible Updated (public domain)
The soccer field where you play every day gets locked up. Or the ice cream truck that always came down your street just stops coming. Something you counted on is suddenly gone. What do you do then? The prophet Elijah was in a spot like that. Only for him, a whole brook dried up.
Elijah was a prophet. That’s someone who passed on God’s words to people. King Ahab wasn’t listening to God at all. Elijah told him straight out: no rain will fall for a while, not even a drop. That was a really big message, and Ahab was angry. So Elijah had to hide. It was dangerous for him.
God told him to go and hide by a little brook. “You shall drink from the brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So Elijah went. And it really happened: in the morning the ravens brought him bread and meat, and in the evening again. Funny, isn’t it? Ravens love to eat, and here they were carrying food to somebody else! Day after day, Elijah had everything he needed.
But it still didn’t rain, so after a while the brook dried up. Now Elijah didn’t even have water. He could have worried a lot and panicked. Then God spoke to him again and told him to get up and go to another town, where a woman would give him food. Elijah got up and went. God didn’t leave him sitting next to a dry brook. He already had the next plan ready.
Did you know?
The woman God sent Elijah to wasn’t rich. She had only a handful of flour and a little oil for herself and her son. She thought it was their last meal. Still, Elijah asked her for bread, and she shared. The flour and oil didn’t run out until the rain came back. God often helps us through people who don’t have much themselves.
Look at Jesus
Jesus knew about Elijah and the woman who shared. He also knew what it’s like to have only a little. Once a boy gave Him five small loaves of bread and two fish, and Jesus fed a huge crowd with them. He said, “I am the bread of life.” When we run short, Jesus is the one we can go to.
What about you?
Your best friend is moving to a different town. Or you switch classes, and the people you know aren’t next to you anymore. Really sad, right? Elijah could have sat down by the dry brook and cried, too. First, you can tell God that you feel sad. Then take one small step. Write your friend a note. Say hi to somebody new. God already has the next plan for you.
Let’s talk about it
- Think of something that ended and that mattered to you. How did that feel? Or can you think of something else?
- Why is it hard to trust when we don’t know what comes next?
- Who helps you when something important changes?
Today’s challenge
Think of something that has ended or will end soon. Tell God about it in your own words. Then do one small thing for what comes next.
Prayer
God, sometimes something ends and I don’t know what to do. Help me remember that You have a next plan for me. Thank You for taking care of me. Amen.
Tap when you have prayed.