The Raven and the Rain

~ By Joey

Trust is not as simple as it seems. At least not for men. And maybe especially not right now with a virus turning our world upside down and making jobs and income uncertain. We are men after all, our role is to provide, to protect… How do we provide for our families when our jobs are uncertain or maybe already lost? How do we protect our families from a virus that can’t be detected until it’s already been contagious for several days? How do we plan when we don’t know how long this will last?

My wife and I take walks together many mornings and lately, like many of you, these have turned into every day events as we are limited to exercising from home. We usually spend the time talking about our kids, dreams, and new ideas that each of us have. Our walk is a beautiful one that takes us up the side of a mountain (really a hill) on a trail not often used by others. The trail is a loop starting with a steep climb through the brush-filled hillside and ending with a gentle down slope past horse stables and a small hobby farm.

This last week, at the peak of the hike when we are short on breath and ready to rest, there has been a raven perched to greet us. He doesn’t ever say anything but he has been speaking to us. Or, maybe more accurately, He has been speaking to us with the presence of this raven, and the message seems to be, “Remember Elijah and the ravens…trust Me.”

As I’m writing this it strikes me how similar Elijah’s situation is to our own right now. Hide in the Kerith ravine. Don’t go anywhere. Stay there. The word Kerith even means “a cut” or “separation”, an interesting word given our current situation…stay there…away from everyone… Trust Me.

Then Elijah is told not to bring anything. Don’t bring food, don’t worry about provisions. I will provide food and water…just go… Trust Me.

We are not told how long Elijah stayed there in separation but we do know that he stayed there until the brook dried up. Not when the water was getting low. When there was no water. Only then did God direct Elijah in his next steps… Trust Me.

But the story doesn’t end there. God sends Elijah to a foreigner, a widow who speaks of “his God” not her own God. Elijah asks for only a small morsel of food…but it’s her last food…and she brings it to him. She trusts in his God and so, seemingly, she is hearing his God through Elijah… Trust Me.

It’s easy for us to think, “Yes, but God talked with Elijah, saw God perform miracles, even performed miracles himself, it was easy for him to trust…” Or maybe it wasn’t. If we skip ahead after Mt. Carmel, after the fire from heaven, after God proves He is God and that Elijah is His servant, we find an untrusting Elijah running for his life, into the wilderness, away from godless Jezabel’s threats. He ends up alone in a cave searching for God. And God reveals himself out on the mountain, not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but in a still…small…voice… Trust Me.

Maybe trust is possible, even for the untrusting…even for us men…even now. Maybe if we stop trying to do it on our own. Maybe if we realize it’s not all up to us and that we aren’t all powerful. Maybe if we stop our striving and listen…just listen… for that still…small…voice… Trust Me. 

 ~ Joey

Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash