Don’t despise the generosity of the poor

Albert Bogle November 13, 2018 0 0

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1 Kings 17: 8-16

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 ‘Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.’ 10 So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.’ 11 As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’ 12 But she said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’ 13 Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ 15 She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

This week the theme Protection and Redemption takes on a new significance when we read the story of the Widow of Zarephath. The prophet Elijah appears to have crossed the line with his request when he asks the starving widow to share her last few ounces of oil  and oatmeal with him. Yet in doing so he promises that her cruse of oil and her barrel of meal will never be empty. This is a significant story that illustrates what the psalmist was speaking about yesterday in Psalm 127. When we are willing to step out in faith God is able to do exceedingly above all we have ever asked or thought. 

God of the Impossible,

To start with

You made us out of nothing

Quite impossible!

Yet you say

With me, 

With You

All things are possible

You take a prophet on his last legs

You take a widow on her last meal 

You take a seeker on the last word

You take a believer on her last throw of dice

And you take the last moment of the last minute

And you make the impossible possible 

Your hands are on the clock of time

Spinning our hours into eternity

Redeeming our lives 

And protecting our souls

You are truly an amazing and even scary God to be around

Oil

Oatmeal

Fire

Water

And eternity

All in the spin of a hand

Truly amazing!