Mothers of the Bibleনমুনা

Elijah and the Mom of Zarephath: God Provides to the Faithful

For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. —1 Kings 17:16, NIV

As mothers, we have all faced desperation regarding our children. I can recall moments when I’ve been at the end of my rope in pregnancy and labor. Moments when I begged for help and guidance with a sick child or a tough discipline situation. I’ve never experienced the desperation of the widow of Zarephath, though.

In 1 Kings, we find a mother with nothing except a handful of flour and a little bit of oil. Enough for one last meal to feed her son before she knows they will starve to death. When asked for water by Elijah, she instantly moves to help. When asked for food in the middle of a famine, I can almost hear her scoffing. I wonder how I would have felt, faced with a dire life-and-death situation, being told by a stranger from another land, “Make a small loaf of bread for me”(1 Kings 17:13, NIV).And yet she obeys. Just as promised, the Lord commanded a widow to feed Elijah and she did. She gives away her very last meal, her last means to nourish her son. She gives it to a stranger because God commanded it.

We have an advantage over the widow as Christian mothers. We are not asked to do anything out of blind faith. Instead, we have story after story in the Word of God that proves to us that God is faithful, trustworthy and will provide for us.

Chances are God is asking you to take the next step of obedience. Maybe you are hesitating because it feels like it will cost you everything. Can I remind you of who God is? He’s the good father, he delights in you, he knows exactly what will fulfill you and he knows how to give good gifts. I like to remind myself often that God is not holding out on me. When he asks me to do something, it is always in my best interest to obey.

Challenge: Offer help to someone in need trusting God to meet your needs.