Reflections on TruthSample

The widow of Zarephath. How difficult and desperate her situation must have been, that she was preparing her last meal for herself and her son and then waiting to die. How alone and filled with hopelessness she must have felt. BUT for El Roi – the God who sees! God sends Elijah, prophet of Israel to this foreigner – where they both learn to depend on God through faith and obedience.

What a tremendous leap of trust she takes when Elijah asks for a small cake of bread. However, she takes Elijah at his word when he tells her, ‘Do not be afraid.’ For the Lord says, ‘The bin of flour will not be used up, nor the jar of oil run dry until the Lord sends rain’. Later on, her newfound faith is stretched even more when her only child falls ill and dies. Elijah took her son’s body to the upper room and prayed until God restored his life. Imagine her joy at seeing her son returned to her alive. She declares ‘Now I know you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.’

This woman’s situation was hopeless, but in a moment her circumstance changed. The truth was that God saw her need and miraculously met her need. God wanted this woman from a gentile country to know that He was the One True God. She trusted God with everything she had and God provided everything she needed.

So many lessons we can take from this story. Even Jesus spoke of her as an example of faith, which was in stark contrast to Israel at this time and Jesus’ time (Luke 4:26).

-What little is in your hands that you are willing to place into God’s?

-When God leads you to someone, His words of truth through you, may be what they need to hear.

God knows what He is doing and knows how he will meet your needs (Phil 4:19)

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to take you at your word. For what you say is Truth. Help me to claim your promises for if you said it, I choose to believe that you will bring them to pass.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.