God's Provision during Drought
Pemeliharaan Tuhan di masa kekeringan.
Look at the best photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/90865307@N00/254024817
It was taken in Tizirzak, Air mountains, Nothern Niger, 2005.
The picture shows a big green tree in the middle of a desert. That tree can stand alone in the midst of a harsh environment. Why? Because its root can find a water source deep in the soil.
Isaiah 41:18-20 "I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it."
Like the picture, "A big green tree that can grow in the middle of the desert", it is God that has made it grow in the midst of a harsh land, so are we. God keeps us and takes care of us, just like He takes care of the tree so that people may see and know, may consider and understand that the hand of the LORD has done it. All the glory goes back to Him.
Read 1 Kings 17:1-16 Story of Elijah fed by ravens and a widow at Zarephath. The two stories tell us how God kept His people in time of drought.
Verse 2 states "the word of the Lord came to Elijah"
Verse 5 says "so he did what the Lord had told him"
Verse 8 shows "Then the word of the Lord came to him"
Verse 14 says "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says"
Verse 16 states "The word of the Lord"
Five times the word of the Lord are stated in the story. it means that it is very important to pay attention to what God says, to God's word.
Psalm 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Remember the tree and the man who is stated in the Psalm 1 verse 3. The tree can withstand harsh condition because it can find its source of water, likewise the man. Water is the word of God. The word of God is often depicted as water. If we root ourselves in the word of God we will be like the tree that still grows in the middle of the desert.
What can we learn?
1. Hearing God's word and doing His commands
2. Obedience to God's word releases His provision in times of difficulty.
God can not compel us to listen to Him. He can not force us to read His word.
It is our decision and our willingness to submit to Him.
This is what I've got before new year in Indonesia and after new year in Japan.
When I attended the Service in Mawar Saron, Jakarta, the pastor also spoke the same thing, "Listen to God". Just yesterday, I got this message again from my pastor in IFGF Tokyo.
Look at the best photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/90865307@N00/254024817
It was taken in Tizirzak, Air mountains, Nothern Niger, 2005.
The picture shows a big green tree in the middle of a desert. That tree can stand alone in the midst of a harsh environment. Why? Because its root can find a water source deep in the soil.
Isaiah 41:18-20 "I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it."
Like the picture, "A big green tree that can grow in the middle of the desert", it is God that has made it grow in the midst of a harsh land, so are we. God keeps us and takes care of us, just like He takes care of the tree so that people may see and know, may consider and understand that the hand of the LORD has done it. All the glory goes back to Him.
Read 1 Kings 17:1-16 Story of Elijah fed by ravens and a widow at Zarephath. The two stories tell us how God kept His people in time of drought.
Verse 2 states "the word of the Lord came to Elijah"
Verse 5 says "so he did what the Lord had told him"
Verse 8 shows "Then the word of the Lord came to him"
Verse 14 says "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says"
Verse 16 states "The word of the Lord"
Five times the word of the Lord are stated in the story. it means that it is very important to pay attention to what God says, to God's word.
Psalm 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Remember the tree and the man who is stated in the Psalm 1 verse 3. The tree can withstand harsh condition because it can find its source of water, likewise the man. Water is the word of God. The word of God is often depicted as water. If we root ourselves in the word of God we will be like the tree that still grows in the middle of the desert.
What can we learn?
1. Hearing God's word and doing His commands
2. Obedience to God's word releases His provision in times of difficulty.
God can not compel us to listen to Him. He can not force us to read His word.
It is our decision and our willingness to submit to Him.
This is what I've got before new year in Indonesia and after new year in Japan.
When I attended the Service in Mawar Saron, Jakarta, the pastor also spoke the same thing, "Listen to God". Just yesterday, I got this message again from my pastor in IFGF Tokyo.
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