Giving until it hurts: Lessons from a Widow woman

In my personal devotions, I have been reading through the accounts of the Kings in the Old Testament. One day, I read the story about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath in I Kings 17. I was familiar with the story, but the Lord gave me a new insight that was very powerful to me.

Before we delve into the text, I want you to get the setting. In the beginning of chapter 17, Elijah told King Ahab that the dew and rain would cease. Once he had done so, the Lord directed him to a brook, where he lived by the Lord's provision for a while. After the brook dried up, however, Elijah was directed to go to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city, he saw a woman gathering sticks. Let's begin at the end of verse 10.

"And he [Elijah] called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her; Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son." (I Kings 17:10b-13) Elijah then proceeded to tell the woman that her meal would not waste and her oil would not run out until the day that it rained again.

Now, think about it for a minute. This was a poor widow. She had one son, and enough food left for one meal for both of them. Along comes a stranger (a foreigner at that) and asks her for food before she fixes a meal for her and her son. Granted, the stranger promises that she won't run out of food, but how can he guarantee that? Even more than that, how did she even know that it would ever rain again? But what does she do? She obeys him! Instead of disregarding what he said, she had faith and gave him all that she had. She refused to withhold her last food from her guest, and the Lord blessed her with provision for her obedience. 

Later on in the story, the woman's son became ill. In fact, he became so ill the Scriptures say that "there was no breath left in him." In her anguish. the woman asks Elijah if he was sent to "call her sin to remembrance, and to slay her son." Instead of trying to comfort or dissuade her, Elijah tells her, "Give me thy son." Now, what mother who has a dying son would be willing to give him up to anyone? However, she allowed Elijah to take her son away from her. Because of her submission, her son was healed, and she came to believe that Elijah was a true prophet of God. 

Is there something you are holding to that you don't want to let go? Do you have a person, a hope, or an idea that you are trusting in for your survival? Or perhaps you are tempted to place your trust in an object or person for your comfort, security, and happiness. If this is the case, I encourage you to remember the faith of the widow of Zarephath. Put your trust completely in the Lord, and lean on him for your future. I know this sounds cliché, but it is the truth! (Prov. 3:5-6) Once we are willing to give up our way for God's way, He is free to do miracles with our lives.