A story tucked away

by: carole l. haines

We all have a story to tell.  There are so many things we have been through, so many difficulties God has brought us through.  How often do we sit and worry how He will get us out of this scrape, or through this latest struggle?  We have often heard it said that “God goes before us, and makes a way where there seems to be no way!”  He does, Dear friends, He most certainly does.  Let me relate to you a true story of a woman who was destitute, and a man on the run.  It is not some sordid love story, they do not end up romantically involved at all.  But God uses this woman to provide for the man, and the man to provide for this woman and her child.  This story is tucked away in The 1st Book of Kings, Chapter 17, of the Bible.  It is a Beautiful Story.

^{The Widow of Zarephath}

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, ⁹ “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” ¹⁰ So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate 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 jar, that I may drink.” 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 bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” ¹³ Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. ¹⁴ For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.’” ¹⁵ So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah. (1 Kings 17)

Such a precious story of trust and provision.  She used all she had to make food for a stranger.  God caused the flour to never run out and the oil to never go empty.  God went ahead of Elijah and provided his needs through a woman who had nothing, and in the process saved her and her son. Is that not just like Our Precious Savior, God and Lord?  We feel we have nothing left, but He asks us to give what little we have, and He will make sure we never run out.  All praise to the God of gods.  The One and Only True God.  All Praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Maker and Provider of us all.  To Him be the Glory forever and ever.