What Are We Making With What God Is Giving?
Tuesday June 18, 2013
Yesterday we told the story of two vulnerable people found in the Bible in 1 Kings 17
(Link for whole story in the Bible at: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20kings%2017&version=NLT)
A poor widow had just enough food for one more meal for herself and her son. She was preparing to cook it and then get ready to die with her son. God knew exactly what she had and how He was going to provide more that she needed, but didn’t have. She was in need of food, which God miraculously provided, but He went even further providing a lifetime of loving relationship. God wants to do the same for us.
Elijah travels to Zarephath, comes to the widow and asks her to give him some water to drink and also a morsel of bread to eat. He’s been on a long journey and was tired and hungry.
But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had This widow had barely enough food for one meal for herself and her son. Elijah gave her a promise that if she would do things God’s way, and trust God’s care for her, she would have what she needed until the troubled times were over. I wonder what I would do if I had just enough to keep me alive and someone asked me to give what I had to them and trust God? I wonder what would have happened if the widow had tried to satisfy herself with her limited resources first? Fortunately for her, she trusted God, listened to the wisdom of the man of God, and acted in obedience to what God said. She didn’t sit down and wait for God to cook meals for her and just passively wait. She did what she could, in the way God directed, and found out that God could be trusted.
Jesus taught His disciples and teaches us that if we will make trusting God more important than everything else, He will take care of us better than we can take care of ourselves. Today is a good time to take God at His word and obey Him from a trusting heart. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
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