Then the LORD said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook… So Elijah did as the LORD told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. 1 Kings 17:2-7 (NLT)
Elijah—newly anointed and appointed—suddenly finds himself hiding out in a ravine east of the Jordan River. Fearful for his life and wanted dead or alive by an angry king, Elijah sets up camp beside Kerith Brook.
We don’t know much about Elijah prior to this introduction into his ministry. We do know he was a zealous prophet, used mightily by God, yet here we find this great man of God holed up at Camp Kerith Brook, his career as a prophet of the Most High God placed on pause, all because of one man, a crazed king named Ahab.
Camp Kerith Brook – not quite the place where one expects to land, especially after God’s anointing. Camp Kerith Brook, where each day is like the other, where the highlight of one’s day is bird watching.
This past year, I spent some time at Camp Kerith Brook. One minute I was doing so well, thriving in God’s anointing over my life. Then suddenly, everything thing came to a screeching halt. My first reaction was, “Why God?” But I’ve learned over the years to replace my whys with whats and hows: What is God trying to teach me? What can I learn from this time at Camp Kerith Brook? How will I respond? What changes might be feasible?
Truth is, sometimes God leads us to a quiet place to remove us from all the distractions and voices vying for our attention so we can attune our ear to His voice. At times, He leads us to Camp Kerith Brook in order to prepare and strengthen us for the challenges ahead. Sometimes God directs His servants to a lonely place in order to feed us – physically in Elijah’s case, emotionally and spiritually in our case.
Camp Kireth Brook; not an end, but a new beginning. Camp Kerith Brook; the place where we learn crucial faith lessons, where we discover our thoughts are not necessarily God’s thoughts and our timing is not necessarily God’s timing. Though we might think we’re ready for Mount Carmel, God knows we need to spend some time at camp Kerith Brook. Because His plans involve dependence, faith, and a good dose of trust.
Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Song by Jean Sibelius