(English version below)

叶友刚长老著

先知以利亚生活在以色列王国中的一系列邪恶国王中，我们可以从列王记上第 17 章中学到一些宝贵的教训和生活应用。

上帝差派以利亚向亚哈王宣布即将到来的干旱。亚哈王与之前统治的国王相比，是最邪恶的国王。上帝也派以利亚到一个贫穷寡妇那里，满足他的需要并培育他的信心。

以利亚预言了一场干旱，并向亚哈王宣布那些年不会有露水和雨水。然后，上帝指示他在那之后隐藏自己，大概是为了远离亚哈并保护以利亚。上帝保护和供应以利亚，让他从小溪里喝水，并派乌鸦每天用面包和肉喂他。看到上帝如何派以利亚执行艰巨的突击任务，并以不寻常的方式满足他的日常需求，使我感到非常鼓舞。今天，我们也可能被上帝召唤去执行可能有风险的困难任务，且不是我们通常会做的事情。让我们向以利亚学习，相信上帝会保护我们并供应我们。

上帝非常明确地把他送到约旦河东面的基立溪旁，而不是任何其他地方。当我反思自己的生活经历时，上帝在祂的指示和时间安排上是具体的。我必须专心聆听并愿意顺服他。在你目前所处的情况下，上帝如何对你说话呢？祂现在对你说什么？你可能正面对严重的身体疾病、困难的家庭问题、艰难的商业环境、苛刻和不讲道理的老板和同事，甚至是冷漠的家人甚至朋友。上帝知道我们所有的挑战，并随时准备帮助我们，就像以利亚一样，上帝可以选择最不寻常的方式来满足我们的需要。回想过去神如何帮助你，鼓励你，并感谢祂每天的信实和供应。信靠上帝，并特别为上帝今天如何帮助你而祈祷。

接下来，上帝派以利亚去找一个有独生子的穷寡妇。他们在干旱中挣扎着生活，也因此严重地打击他们的食物和收入来源。这在我们今天生活的全球形势中听起来很熟悉，供应链中断，由于长期流行病导致工作和收入损失，并且由于政治僵局和利率上升以应对通货膨胀而恶化。当她和她的儿子准备用家里日益减少的食物中剩下的任何东西吃最后一餐时，寡妇表现出极大的信心，首先满足以利亚的需求。上帝通过提供面粉和油来供应她和她的儿子，直到干旱终于结束。想想当朋友或亲戚急需并向我们寻求经济援助时，我们可能会如何犹豫。我们可能在经济上很舒服，却置若罔闻，或者把目光移开。或者，也许我们的状态不是很好，但仍然幸存下来，但仍然不愿意伸出援手。我们怎样才能学习信靠神的供应，因着信靠祂以实际的方式照顾他人，不再为我们的日常需要和未来需要忧虑呢？

我们应当向以利亚学习，天天相信上帝会赐予祂永不动摇的保护和永无止境的供应。让我们惊喜地期待上帝的作为，因为祂预知并供应我们个人和教会的需要。

The prophet Elijah lived in the kingdom of Israel amid a succession of evil kings, and we can learn some valuable lessons and life applications from chapter 17 of 1 Kings. 

God sent Elijah to make an announcement of the coming drought to King Ahab who had the reputation of being the evillest king compared to those that had reigned before him. God also sent Elijah to a destitute widow to provide for his needs and to develop his faith.

Elijah predicted a drought and announced to King Ahab that there would be no dew nor rain during those years.  God then instructed him to hide himself after that, presumably to keep away from Ahab and to protect Elijah.  God protected and provided for Elijah by letting him drink from the brook and sending ravens to feed him daily with bread and meat.  I was very encouraged in seeing how God sent Elijah on a difficult commando task and provided him with his daily needs in unusual ways.  Today, we might also be called by God to perform difficult tasks that might be risky and not something we would usually do.  Let’s learn from Elijah and have faith in God that He will protect us and provide for us.

God was very specific in sending him to the brook Cherith which was east of the Jordan and not to any other location.  When I reflect upon my own life experiences, God was specific in His instructions and timing of what to do.  I had to be attentive in listening and be willing to obey Him.  How has God spoken to you and what is He saying to you right now in the situation that you might be in?  You might be facing a life-threatening physical ailment, difficult family issues, tough business environment, demanding and unreasonable bosses and colleagues and even uncaring family members or even friends.  God knows all our challenges and is ever ready to help us and as in the case of Elijah, God can choose the most unusual ways to provide for our needs.  Think back about how God has helped you and encouraged you in the past and give thanks to Him for His faithfulness and provision every day.  Trust in God and pray specifically for how God can help you today.

Next, God sent Elijah to a destitute widow who had an only son.  They were struggling with their lives amidst the drought that must have crippled their source of food and income.  This sounds familiar in the worldwide situation that we live in today with supply chain disruptions, loss of jobs and income due to the prolonged pandemic and worsened by political standoffs and rising interest rates to cope with inflation.  The widow displayed an incredible amount of faith in providing for Elijah’s needs first when she and her son were preparing to eat their last meal from whatever was left in their dwindling supplies at home.  God delivered her and her son by providing flour and oil that never ran out until the drought was finally over.  Think about how we might have hesitated when a friend or relative was in urgent need and approached us for financial help.  We might have been financially comfortable and turned a deaf ear or looked away.  Or perhaps we were not in a very good state but still surviving but refused to help at all.  How can we learn to trust in God’s provision and trust Him to look out for others in practical ways and stop worrying about our daily needs and future needs?

We should learn from Elijah and go on a daily journey of trusting God for His never-failing protection and never-ending provision.  Let us be surprised and amazed at how God works in His ways and anticipates and provides what we need as individuals and as a church.