Consider the Ravens

Well it has started. Just the other day I saw on facebook that a local business up here in Fairbanks will be closing permanently because of the virus. As we have been weathering the isolation because of the virus, we have yet to see the full financial impact of the virus. We are looking at some rough financial times for our country, our state, our community, and even some of our family and friends. I was thinking about that and how God provides. Sometimes it is not in ways we expect. I will get back to that in a minute. How many of you like ravens? We have a lot of them in Alaska. They are a scavenger bird. We would not consider them clean. But they do an important job of cleaning up. And personally I think that it is amazing that they can live in such cold temperatures. Did you know that ravens are mentioned in the Bible? Well they are!

Ravens are talked about in Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?”

God cares for and provides for these scavenger birds. Not only that, but He uses them for His purpose. If you look at 1 Kings 17:6, you will see that Elijah is fed by ravens. Now I do not know what kind of ravens they have in Israel, but I would not want to eat food from ravens in Alaska. Most of the time Alaska ravens are eating trash or dead things.

Well God uses ravens for His purpose and He cares enough about these birds to feed them and provide for them. Since God does this, how much more does God care for us and want to provide for us. Many times we do not see God’s provision or maybe it is not what we think or what we want. It is hard to be content with what God gives us. It is easy to be like the Israelites complaining about manna and wanting quail. During this time when people are struggling financially and small businesses are closing, are we trusting in God’s provision? Are we content with what He has provided? Or are we looking at others and longing for steak when we should be content with bread? Even if it is from ravens!

Consider the ravens!  And may God continue to bless as you weather this virus.

​Jared