As the crow flies

I said , “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest—” Psalm 55:6

As the crow flies means the direct straight line. Particularly in the country and in the mountains, the roads are winding so when giving directions someone may say this idiom and point in the direction of the location being asked about.

I’ll have to admit I think I have a much better sense of direction than I actually do. When traveling I will blurt out where we need to turn and in many instances I’m wrong. Thankfully my husband realizes my genetic defect and ignores me a lot.

Throughout the Scriptures God’s people were placed on a journey and given direct instructions on where to go. Elijah was a prime example of an obedient servant and in 1 Kings 17 God commanded him to leave his family and hide in a ravine from Ahab where he would be fed by the ravens and drink from a brook.

During this time the people had fallen into the worship of Baal introduced by Jezebel and once again God was forgotten. Punishment was coming to the region through a great drought which meant the brook was drying up. Now with no water Elijah was given directions to go into Zarephath where he would find a widow who would give him shelter and food provided by God.

Through it all God sustained Elijah to prepare him to meet the challenge at Mount Carmel. When the prophets of Baal and Israel were gathered around the altar, Elijah called upon the Lord to ignite a fire at the altar he had prepared; but not before it was doused with water three times. In I King 18:36-37 Elijah prays, “O Lord,...answer me, so these people will know that you , O Lord, are God,...”.

God revealed himself in front of everyone when fire consumed the sacrifice, altar, stones and even the standing water in the trenches. He continues to reveal himself today but so often we fail to see His omnificent power. His desire is for us to worship Him as the crow flies; straight, constant, and never wavering.