Angel Wings

As always, once you’ve been on the mountain top, the enemy likes to put his arrows through you and see how you will respond. This has happened to me recently. I was on the mountaintop when I was at the conference in Ukraine and Hungary, worshipping, praying and fellowshipping with my fellow servants of the Lord. Then I return to Ukraine and all seems well for a time, then boom, in comes discouragement, boom, in comes doubt, boom, in comes pride, boom, in comes comparing self to others. OUCH! Oh Lord help me! I had allowed myself to be trapped by the enemy and was falling deep into his dungeon of gloom and despair. But the Lord is on my side, and He brought me up out of the dungeon and reminded me of all He showed me in the beginning. And then, the Lord gave me this devotional as a reminder to not look at the circumstances in life-don’t look at the brook that is dwindling and drying up, but look to the Lord through the circumstances and see them through His eyes. He is using these so that I can have that sweet fellowship with Him, so that I can fix my eyes upon Him and not lose sight of the One who is preparing me for a big blessing. In order to receive this blessing, I need to go through the trial, to see the waters dry up, so that I am even more thankful in the times of abundance.

Title: Elijah Watched and Waited

Author: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Source: Streams in the Desert
Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 17:7

“It came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land” (1 Kings 17:7).

Week after week, with unfaltering and steadfast spirit, Elijah watched that dwindling brook; often tempted to stagger through unbelief, but refusing to allow his circumstances to come between himself and God. Unbelief sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun shorn of his rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and looks at them through Him. And so the dwindling brook became a silver thread; and the silver thread stood presently in pools at the foot of the largest boulders; and the pools shrank. The birds fled; the wild creatures of field and forest came no more to drink; the brook was dry. Only then to his patient and unwavering spirit, “the word of the Lord came, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath.”

Most of us would have gotten anxious and worn with planning long before that. We should have ceased our songs as soon as the streamlet caroled less musically over its rocky bed; and with harps swinging on the willows, we should have paced to and fro upon the withering grass, lost in pensive thought. And probably, long ere the brook was dry, we should have devised some plan, and asking God’s blessing on it, would have started off elsewhere.

God often does extricate us, because His mercy endureth forever; but if we had only waited first to see the unfolding of His plans, we should never have found ourselves landed in such an inextricable labyrinth; and we should never have been compelled to retrace our steps with so many tears of shame. Wait, patiently wait! –F. B. Meyer

May I be like Elijah, and not allow my circumstances to come between myself and God. May I continue to look to the Lord, Praising Him for when the waters get stirred up. May I rest upon His shoulders when I am tired and there seems no way out. May I know that God is there beside me, carrying me, through the circumstances. May I have faith like Elijah so that I may see the blessings that the Lord has for me as I am patient and my spirit unwavers. May I not be accused of unbelief and not pace to and fro and plan all things in my flesh, but may I put God between myself and the circumstances and look at my circumstances through Him. May I “wait, patiently wait!”