Elijah’s Three Restaurants

Most people love to try out new restaurants. Our natural love for food results in a variety of cuisine. You can choose to enjoy Asian food, or Mexican, or Italian. There are restaurants that specialize in seafood, steak, chicken, or burgers and fries. Then there is of course the buffet that offers a large variety of food.

I noticed that the prophet Elijah had opportunity to visit 3 different “restaurants” during his ministry. The first restaurant we could call “The Brook Cherith Grill”. At Cherith he ate bread and meat, and his servers were ravens. During the drought, food and water were scarce. God supernaturally provided for his servant for a time. When the brook dried up Elijah went to the second restaurant we will call “The Widow of Zarephath Cafe”. At this restaurant the fare was very simple and plain. A poor widow gave up her last meal by serving Elijah a pancake. God again performed a miracle by not allowing the barrel of meal and the oil to run out till the drought was over. The last restaurant that Elijah visited was in 1 Kings 19. After he confronted Ahab and Jezebel with their sins and destroyed the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, Elijah ran in fear and discouragement. He stopped at a restaurant we’ll call “The Broom Tree Inn”. While tired and defeated Elijah was served a little cake by an angel. You might call it the first occurrence of angel food cake. God refreshed His prophet and he returned to ministry.

God used these 3 restaurants to teach Elijah and us some valuable lessons. Sometimes God allows us to subsist on meager fare. The widow’s food of a plain pancake wasn’t much but it kept him alive. The raven food by the brook must have been very humbling for Elijah. But God showed him that he can even use a raven as a servant. And sometimes we get to eat on a higher level. Angel food would have been such a privilege.

Whether it is raven food, widow food, or angel food, our God will supply our daily bread.