How can we trust God in scarcity, as seen in 1 Kings 18:5? Verse focus “Then Ahab said to Obadiah, ‘Go through the land to all the springs and to all the valleys. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to destroy some of our livestock.’” (1 Kings 18:5) Setting the scene • Three-and-a-half years of drought (1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17) • God withheld rain because of Israel’s idolatry. • Elijah, God’s prophet, stands in contrast to King Ahab’s unbelief. Scarcity in the king’s house • Even royalty cannot escape famine. • Ahab plots a search for grass; the best he can muster is “perhaps.” • Human solutions hinge on uncertainty; God’s word never does. What the verse reveals about human solutions • “Go through the land” – exhausting every earthly option. • “Perhaps we will find grass” – relying on chance, not assurance. • “Keep the horses and mules alive” – preserving military strength instead of seeking spiritual repentance. • Scarcity exposes where trust truly lies. Contrast: God’s proven provision • Ravens fed Elijah by the brook (1 Kings 17:4-6). • A handful of flour and little oil sustained the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:14-16). • Both events occurred during the same drought Ahab is scrambling through. • God used unexpected means—birds and a foreign widow—to meet needs when natural resources failed. Principles for trusting God in scarcity • Remember past faithfulness. If He fed Elijah with ravens, He can meet today’s need. • Seek repentance before relief. God sent drought to turn hearts, not merely to test resourcefulness. • Replace “perhaps” with God’s promises. His “I will” outranks our “maybe.” • Depend on His methods, not merely on visible means. Provision often arrives from unexpected directions. • Obey the next step He reveals, as Elijah did by moving from brook to widow’s house (1 Kings 17:8-9). Scriptural anchors • “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) • “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’… But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:31, 33) • “In the days of famine they will be satisfied.” (Psalm 37:19) • “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, you may have all you need.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) Living it out today • Audit your heart: Am I strategizing like Ahab or surrendering like Elijah? • Cultivate daily remembrance—keep a record of God’s past interventions. • Prioritize spiritual alignment: confess sin, turn from idols, pursue obedience. • Hold resources loosely, trusting the Source more than the supply. • Speak promises aloud when tempted to say “perhaps,” letting Scripture rewrite uncertainty with certainty. |
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