In 1 Kings 17 we see Elijah for the first time.

He is introduced by telling the current king of Israel that a drought was coming. The current king was Ahab. It's said that, "he was more wicked than any king before him". Elijah had to have an amazing amount of trust in God to confront Ahab about the impending drought. Kings, even a king of Israel, were not accustomed to being told bad news, nor did they really appreciate it. Elijah had courage.

After the prophecy, Elijah was told by the Lord to go to the brook Cherith. There he was totally taken care of. He got bread delivered to him by ravens, and he had water (this is during the time of the drought) from the brook. I can't even imagine having birds deliver me food every day. Charis and I have a dog, Oliver. In my mind, it would be the equivalent of him coming in to our bedroom every morning with fresh baked croissants, or even just a loaf of French Bread in his mouth that we didn't buy at the store. It would be absolutely mind blowing.

Then the brook dries up. This is a result of the previous prophecy of a drought. The Lord continues to provide. He tells him to go to Zarephath, where a widow will take care of him. There is little food to go around because of the drought. They were at the point of making their last meal to await death. They were at the end of their life. Nothing more to live for. The widow obliged Elijah though, and God provided for the widow and her son.

They had a seemingly unlimited supply of food for 3 years. During that time, the son becomes ill and dies. Elijah prays over him and he is raised from the dead.

On the 3rd year, The Lord told Elijah it was time to confront Ahab about his worship of Baal and Asherath. He confronts him in an interesting way though. He decided to have a "sacrificial challenge" with the prophets of Baal.

They each created an altar, prepared with a bull. Elijah challenged the people to stop wavering between God and Baal. So this would show the people who is truly God. The prophets of Baal called out from morning until the time of evening oblation, sacrifice, which is around 3 p.m. However, nothing happened. Baal was absent. Elijah then prepared the altar of the Lord. Then he had it drenched in water 3 times until it was overflowing. Elijah called out to the Lord and God answered. He sent a fire that engulfed the whole altar... wood, water, and all. The people rejoiced, and God judged on the prophets of Baal. Elijah killed all the prophets of Baal at the brook Kidron.

This enraged Jezebel. King Ahab was married to Jezebel. She was a wicked false prophet, who is referenced in other areas of the Bible. God brought the rain and the drought was over. Jezebel, however, wasn't satisfied and she made a claim that she was going to make sure Elijah was murdered.

Elijah ran.

If you're wondering what the point is? It's that single statement. Elijah ran. He, who hasn't done a single thing without word from God, takes off without as much as a second thought. The same God that has taken care of Elijah through ravens, a brook of water during a drought, a widow's pantry with never ending jars of food, raising an ill child from the dead, consuming (with fire) a drenched altar with a single word... Yet Elijah didn't trust that God would save him from Jezebel's threat.

Sometimes it's hard to understand why we don't trust God. However if we look at Elijah, he was in the midst of the glory of God. He saw countless acts of God's greatness, yet when push came to shove... he had a moment of weakness.

It's actually less unusual to not trust God. We should always trust that God will provide, but we don't. We should take heart, though, that a major prophet of God faltered. Through that moment of cowardice, God still showed up. He took that opportunity to continue to prove His greatness to Elijah. We truly have an amazing, loving Father.

When we're doubting that God is there, just remember that the God we're trusting is a God that has done tremendously great things. He can handle it.