Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you." So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink." As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." But she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth." She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:8-16)
My first new car note was $103.00 per month. That was a lot of money back then, especially if you're about to leave a high-paying job with Ma Bell and go to seminary. I remember my Dad talking to me about that, and sounding worried. I had been running from God, hiding in the belly of the large whale that was AT&T in Houston, but God still found me, and called me to seminary in Denver, Colorado. I was leaving a very good job, a nice apartment, all the trappings of a successful life to go into the unknown, to complete my seminary degree and get back to serving God. Years later, my Dad said he admired my faith for having done what I did. God provided. I never lost my car,and I was able to pay it off in full.
The situation was much more difficult for a widow in those days; having no means of support, a son to feed, and having run out of the basic food items on which to live. Along comes a man of God asking for the last cake possible from the meal and oil that she had. She could have easily run him off and told him off. But, her faith allowed her to do that, for she heard the prophet say that the jar would not be empty nor the oil until God sent rain on the earth again. She fed the prophet, herself, and her son, not only that day, but for the days until it rained again.
God provides, if we but ask and trust. You probably have your own stories of how it seemed you would not be able to make it, and God has come through and blessed you. Think back on the gospel lesson for this week, the widow in Jesus' story gave her all to God, even that which she lived on, out of faith, and she was provided for.
God will come through if we but trust and share with Him that which is His to begin with.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me the times I have not had the faith to share with You or Yours that which You need. I know You always provide and for that I am thankful and very blessed! I love You and praise You; in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
