I WANT to tell you about something that happened nearly three thousand years ago. It is a true story, for it is God who has told us about it.
There was a man by the name of Elijah, who feared God and sought to obey Him, and there were others at that time who did not fear God, but pleased themselves, and went. on in sin, and provoked God to anger. So this man told the King of Israel what would happen. He said: “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” 1 Kings 17:1.
What a dreadful thing that was, to be without rain, and it lasted “three years and six months.” James 5:17.
That was punishment God brought on the people for their sin. No doubt, they did not like that, but it was the sad result of doing what was wrong. It may have seemed very well for them to please themselves for a time by doing what was wrong, and forget that God would punish them, but how sad when God began to deal with them.
That is like a great many people today, and children, too. They do things as if there was no God and forget that God will punish sin.
This man, Elijah did not suffer because there was no rain. He depended on God, and feared God, and God told him where to go, and how He would take care of him. “The word of the Lord came unto him, saying, get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.”
So you see, God who is over all things, and has all power, took care of Elijah because he feared and depended upon Him.
Dear children, may you learn a lesson from this; remember, that disobedience and all sin, ends at sometime with sorrow, but if you fear God knowing that He is always looking at you and knows all you do, He will keep you from evil, and He will also take care of you.
J. T. A.
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 3:24.
ML 07/08/1900