The Widow of Zarephath
Yesterday I was communicating with God and it was about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath in 1Kings 17: 7-16. I was thinking why God used the widow to minister to the need of Elijah knowing well that she was a window, she was broke and in fact, what she had was her last meal. Her intention was to eat the last meal with her son and then wait for death to come. However, God decided to use such a vessel that was not looking like blessing, to bless Elijah.
God made me to see the reason the woman was used to meet the need of Elijah.
One, it was because the woman was willing and yielded to God.
Number two, the woman was available to be used by God. In verse 8, God said “I have directed a widow to supply you with food” in other words , God was saying, I have found a willing and a yielded person, who is available, so I will use her for you Elijah. Irrespective of her physical, financial or economic condition. The heart condition of that widow was pleasing to God.
Number three, God wanted to show the woman mercy and turn the situation of the woman around. Moreover, she gave God a place of priority in verse 13 by meeting the need of Elijah first before considering her need, though legitimate.
In verses 14, 15, and 16. God showed her mercy and blessed her. As God always does beyond and over, verse 15 let us know that not only the widow and her son were taken care of. But her relations who were not in the picture of who she wanted to share the last meal with in verse 12 were also fed by the provision God gave to her. Hallelujah!
The blessing God gives to a person does not only bless that person, it always have the capacity to bless others in contact with him or her.
I was meditating on this, and not long after as if God wanted to practicalize this revelation with me. Actually, that yesterday I was not having anything in terms of money with me, in fact my bank account was flat. However, I needed to meet some urgent and pressing needs at home, but I was not having money. I was in deep thoughts and I started talking to God.
So I decided to stroll out of the house around my environment and as I got to the junction, lo and behold I met two ladies and one of them walked up to me and said, “sir please can you help me I am hungry” and that, she and her friend didn’t have food at home. I told her I wasn’t having money to give to her because she she was expecting something from me. I really wanted to help, so I asked them to follow me to a bread seller nearby, I bought them two loaves of bread and I gave it to them and I promised to pay the seller by the following day. Then I went to a friend’s place and to cut the long story short, between going to a friend’s place and returning back home, God made a way. I met another friend that I haven’t seen in a while on the way and without me talking to him about my present situation, he requested for my bank account in order to make some cash transfer to me. Just like that.
No matter your condition , if you are willing , yielded and available , that’s all you’ve got to have in order to be blessed by God. Don’t say you don’t have nothing , there is always something to give in order for you to receive mercy from God. God bless you.