Have you found yourself, empty, without money for rent or food? Is your mind flooded with worry and despair? Let’s dive into the Scriptures and see why God allows times like these in our lives.
[1 Kings 17: 8-9] 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide food for you.”
The LORD tells Elijah who ran out of food due to the fact that there was no more rain to go to a widow for shelter and food. It is interesting that this widow ran out of food herself and was about to starve to death. But God had a plan.
[1 Kings 17:10] 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the entrance of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.”
Elijah just got to the widow’s place at her last meal. God’s provision comes when all hope is lost so that His hand will be very evident when He provides for you through a miracle. Blessing a believer in Jesus Christ with what they need is like doing it to the Lord Himself. See Matthew 25:34-40.
[1 Kings 17: 11-12] 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” 12 But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no food, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks so that I may go in and prepare it for me and my son, so that we may eat it and die.”
The prophet, Elijah asked the widow to bring him a meal even though whatever she had was just enough for her and her son. The woman knew that that day was her last meal, knowing that death was knocking at her door, asking for their souls. With the severe famine in the land, there was no hope for food for her and her family.
Some of us are just like this widow, without hope. We have no more money, rent is due and we are in serious debt. What to do? The Lord at times strips us of all resources that we rely on so that we may see the hand of the Lord in our lives to build up our faith.
[1 Kings 17:13-14] 13 However, Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said. Just make me a little bread loaf from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘The bowl of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil become empty, until the day that the LORD provides rain on the face of the earth.’”
The widow is told not to fear, which is to say, trust in the LORD. The LORD told the widow through His prophet, Elijah, to feed His servant first. By giving to Elijah first, showed strong faith in her part, trusting that somehow God was going to cause a miracle in her life because she put the LORD first, believing in God’s Word spoken to her that He was going to make the impossible happen.
[1 Kings 17:15-16] 15 So she went and did everything in accordance with the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bowl of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil become empty, in accordance with the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah.
The woman put her faith into action and listened to the Word of God spoken through Elijah. By obeying, the LORD blessed her and her household exceedingly. The hardest time to have faith is when we see no hope at all. That is when we need to trust in Christ the most. How can we tell others to trust in Jesus Christ when we falter in that area and how can our faith grow without having to go through hard times as the widow?
[James 1:2-4] 2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Spiritual Minefield 