Lessons from a Widow

The Widow

There’s a story about a widow of Zarephath. This was the hometown of Jezebel, wife of King Ahab.  The people there worshiped Baal, the god of rain. The town of Zarephath was one hundred miles from the brook Cherith, where Elijah had been in hiding from King Ahab. God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and find a widow.

One thing I’ve learned about God: His commands do not always make human, earthly sense. 

One thing I know about God: He doesn’t have to make sense.

The Prophet

When Elijah arrived in Zarapheth, there was a woman drawing water. I have no doubt that she was haggard. Her food was almost gone, and she was gathering sticks to build a fire to prepare a last meal for herself and her son, realizing that soon she and her son would die of starvation.

Elijah asked the widow of Zarapeth for water, and she went to get it for him. As she was going, he also asked for some bread. That is when she told him, “As surely as your God lives, I have no bread; I only have a little bit of oil and flour. I’m getting ready to fix my last meal before we die.”

Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid.” Then he told her what to do next.

She did it.

The Oil and Flour

This widow made the cake and served Elijah first, just like she was told to do. When it’s natural to try to horde things for ourselves, this widow gave first so that the prophet was fed before she took for herself and her son. Because of her obedience, the oil and flour in her house never ran dry for the duration of the drought. That’s a miracle!

What the Widow Taught

From the story of this widow, there are things I have learned.

• obedience must come first if we expect God to do anything miraculous
• with obedience comes blessing
• with honor comes blessing
• with faith comes blessing

It’s a lesson for me – and for all of us.

With obedience comes blessing – and miracles.

What miracles do you hope God will do for you? What blessings are you asking from God?

How’s that obedience coming?