Ravens

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Ravens

Pastors David & Kristy Calhoun

Life Builders Fellowship – Nashville, TN

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According to PBS online ravens are scavengers that do not discriminate between humans and animals. They take advantage of other animals to help them cadge a meal they couldn’t otherwise reach. They also have been seen following wild wolf packs to a kill; some stories even have ravens flying ahead of the wolves to lead them to prey.  Think about it, ravens are mean, they love be around things that are dead, stinky, and disgusting and will help other mean animals hurt other animals (sounds like some people you know huh?).

 

This could explain why God called the raven an unclean and detestable animal and commanded the Israelites to detest them as well in Leviticus 11:13-15.  Isaiah 52:11 proclaimed “do not to touch an unclean thing”.  That is what makes 1 Kings 17:4 so interesting.  God told Elijah: “You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.”  Think about it, God tells Elijah to eat food handled by nasty, treacherous ravens. 

 

There are two things you I think you should notice in this passage. One, God will sometimes asks us to do things that do not make sense.  It would not have made sense for Elijah to eat meat that had been touched by such a filthy, forbidden animal.  God is the God of change and risk taking.  Don’t be surprised when he asks you to go somewhere you don’t want to go (like Jonah) or take on responsibility you do not feel capable of (like Moses) or to accept blessings you do not feel worthy of (like Peter).  God is the God of the unusual, one who makes something out of nothing.  Remember where there is no risk involved, no faith is involved either.

 

The second thing I think you should notice is how God changed the nature of a vile animal.  It was in the nature of that raven to devour the meat intended for Elijah.  But God changed their nature and caused them to be a provider instead of a predator, a servant rather than a scavenger.  God is a master at changing hearts.  Don’t be surprised if some of the human ravens you know that only seem to want to hurt and take advantage of you suddenly become your source of blessing.  That relative or friend that you think is too hard hearted or stubborn to ever accept Christ, simply needs God to transform their raven heart and it can happen in an instant. 

 

So don’t be surprised when God puts you in the midst of ravens because He is probably using you to change their heart.  And when you see the ravens of life circling over you expect them to bring blessings instead of problems.

 

*All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.  Zondervan Publishing House

Proverbs 27:19

As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

What does your heart reflect about you?

Surfing

I’ve been convicted of it… I surf but not on any beach, it’s on the internet. I find myself surfing blogs, sermons, songs….

The Lord just told me to surf His Word. And to encourage whomever surfs this blog to do the same.

He loves you and desires to reveal Himself to you.