LIVING BY THE BROOK

          After confronting King Ahab, God directed Elijah the prophet to hide himself at the brook Cherith (1Kgs.17:2-3).  This area is described by one writer as “a narrow, profound gorge, overhung by tremendous cliffs, absolutely impassable, in whose numerous recesses and dark caverns the pro-phet would have been most effectively concealed.”  For about a year, Elijah would remain well-hidden from the wrath of Jezebel (1Kgs.18:4).  But Cherith was more than just a SAFE HAVEN, it was also a SCHOOL - - a boot camp of sorts.  The word Cherith is a derivative of the word “cha-rath”, which means to cut off or to cut down.  At Cherith God would help Elijah “get into shape” in preparation for some important future assignments. 

          “Living by the brook” requires learning to wait.  For some this is the hardest challenge in the world.  Immediately following his peak perfor-mance at the palace, God sends Elijah to hunker down in a wilderness cave and wait.  Solitude can be wonderful, but when it becomes protracted it can be a bitter pill to swallow.  No wife; no young understudy to train; no companions; no friends; nobody to talk to except God.  What must have begun with delight likely turned into drudgery, bringing temptations to complain and doubt.  At Cherith Elijah learned the lesson of TRUSTING God.

Give us this day, our daily bread (Mt.6:11).  Every meal became a new exercise of faith.  Bread and meat arrived by airmail every morning and even-ing, delivered by the ravens (1Kgs.17:6).  Cherith was home to rabbits galore, but rabbits were prohibited (Lev.11:6).  Cherith was situated on an acute ascent, which likely ruled out fishing.  And there was no need to try to plant crops because there was no rain.  Finally, the prophet watched as the brook dried up (1Kgs.17:7).  What was he to do now?  In all of this Elijah was being schooled in the lesson of that old hymn, Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.  There, alone by the brook Cherith, Elijah waited patiently and obediently until God saw fit to give him new instructions.  How we need to learn these same lessons.  Let us not bemoan the boot camps of life, for it is in such hard places that we’re often schooled by The Almighty.                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ