“And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.” (1 Kings 17:7)

Sometimes we have a word from the Lord that seems to have ended. God told Elijah to stay by the creek where he had water and the ravens brought him food. But then the creek went dry.

Sometimes our prophetic words run dry. When we received them into our spirits, they were life-giving and produced much fruit. They motivated us for a season. Then the season seems to shift and the prophetic word no longer seems to apply. What happened?

The creek ran dry. The prophetic word expired; it ran its course. It doesn’t mean it was wrong. It was valid for a season, until the creek ran dry. What do we do when the creek runs dry?

I have a simple prayer at this point, when I find myself in such a situation: “Now what, Lord” There is the recognition that I have been faithful to what God called me to do, but now the tide seems to shifting.

Elijah got a new word from the Lord at this point: “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” (1 Kings 17:9) I am not sure that the widow was ready to feed him before he showed up as her food was running out too.

We don’t know if Elijah prayed to the Lord for a new word, if it just came to him, if he cried out to God, or if he simply sat there in perplexity. All we know is that he got a new word.

Oh, the wondrous ways of God! The ravens fed Elijah bread and meat in the morning and evening and he drank from the brook, until it ran dry. Then God commanded the widow in Zarephath to feed Elijah. She just didn’t know it yet. She didn’t get the memo until she made a loaf of bread for Elijah first, even though it was going to be her family’s last meal. That is, after he found her.

Oh, yes, the Bible says that God commanded the widow to feed Elijah. It wasn’t quite that simple, or was it?

I find that when one prophetic word runs it course, there is a new one waiting to be fulfilled. Oh, let’s just leave that creek, because it’s run dry.

By Ralph Veenstra