Hi everyone, it's Aunt Frenita
Today's story is called: Breakfast with the Birds
The memory verse is from Isaiah, chapter 41, verse 10
It says, "I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you."
Today's message is: God knows my needs. He cares about me.
Have you ever watched birds eating?
What do they eat?
If God told you that birds would bring your food, what would you expect?
Birdseed?
Worms?
Some fruit?
A long time ago, God sent birds to feed a man
Elijah's bird story is not what you might expect
Long ago, wicked King Ahab ruled the land of Israel
Ahab did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any other King
King Ahab and his queen, Jezebel, worshipped idols
They led all of Israel to worship idols too
They encouraged the people to disobey the Lord's commands
Jezebel and the prophets of Baal, boldly killed the Lord's prophets
God had a prophet whose name was Elijah
He was from Tishbe, in the land of Gilead, on the other side of Jordan River
Elijah served God and taught others to worship Him
God was troubled was the idol worship He saw in the land
He knew it encouraged wickedness in Israel
The priests of Baal taught the people that Baal sent the rain and dew
They believed Baal also controlled the rivers and the streams
Elijah knew that it was God who controlled nature and not Baal
So God asked Elijah to deliver a message to King Ahab
Elijah knew that Ahab didn't want a message from the Lord
He knew that the palace guards would recognize him as a prophet of God
They try to arrest him
They might even turn Elijah over to Jezebel and her wicked priests of Baal
But in spite of the dangers, Elijah didn't hesitate
He went to Samaria and without stopping for the guards, marched right into the Palace
He walked right up to the King and delivered God's message
"As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain, except at My word"
Elijah proclaimed
And then he quickly turned and left
Elijah was not alone when he marched in to see Ahab
Without God's protection, he surely would have been stopped by the guards and put to death
But God was with him when he went in
And God was with him as he left
"Leave here at once." God told Elijah
"Go eastward and hide in the Kerith ravine"
"You will find water in the brook there"
"And I have ordered the ravens to feed you"
And that's exactly what happened
Elijah found a safe, quiet place on a hillside above the brook
Every morning and evening, the birds brought food to Elijah
And for many months, Elijah drank water from the brook
As long as the brook flowed, he had water to drink
Elijah felt safe in God's care
Every time the ravens swooped down bringing food
Elijah knew that God was giving him the gift of life
And Elijah knew that his life was precious to God
(subtitles by Faith Toh)