What does elijah do for the widow

The only problem? This widow had no bread. In fact, she was gathering sticks to make a last meal for herself and her son, and then die. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it — and die.

She was at the end of her hope. The widow did as Elijah said. And afterward? Her flour jar never became empty and her oil jar never ran dry just as God had promised. In fact, the widow, her family and Elijah had food through the entire multi-year drought. Our circumstances never tell the whole story. They tell only what we see but the eternal God is our refuge and always, always, always underneath are his everlasting arms.

You may be facing big unknowns. You may be at the end of your own ability and you may not see the way through your circumstances. As a gentile widow living outside of Israel, she was outside the protections of Jewish law and would have been among the most poor and needy.

She was a single mom who found herself at the end of her supplies and the end of her ability to provide, reasoning her only choice was to make a last meal, eat it and die. But God resources are unlimited and his timing is perfect.

We may not see a way through, but we are never hopeless in God. I imagine this widow watching her flour and oil dwindle for weeks.

A prophet named Elijah warned people a famine would come. Elijah drank water from a creek. God sent birds to bring him food. But then the creek dried up. God told Elijah to find a woman in town, and she would feed him. Elijah found the woman and asked her for something to eat. The woman said she only had a little flour and oil left to feed herself and her son. God has provided for both Elijah and the widow.

This woman was at the end of her rope. We may not experience what she went through, but we can all understand trying situations. How can you reach out to your children or youth and others who are suffering through difficult times? Great and tender God, just as you guided Elijah, guide us to places of rest and provision. Help us to see the needs of those around us and respond as we are able.

Dry wadi at Nahal Paran. Photo by Mark A. He was Elijah the prophet, who came to Zarepath as God told him to.

As the woman was going to get some water, Elijah called to her and said. Then a worried look was cast on her face, because her food was running out as a result of the long drought. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.