This is from a previous week, but I haven't written about that week and I don't have anything else to write about this week, so here we are.
I love chapter 17 of 1 Kings. It wasn't covered in any of my religious studies classes in college (even the Old Testament survey) nor at any church event that I can recall. I think this was my first time reading it. And I love it. It is such a great reminder to me of how God can provide for people while using that very same provision to do a great work in the world. And we just never know when that old widow could be one of us.
The widow had no food for herself or her family. She had a little bit of olive oil and a little bit of flour and she was preparing to make that the last meal for her and her son before they died of starvation. But God had other plans.
Elijah
said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But
first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it
to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 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.
Through this, Elijah was sustained until called to move on to God's next task for him, the woman and her son were sustained throughout the drought, and this family was able to see God through Elijah's healing of the son. How cool is that? I think it's pretty cool.
It reminds me of these lyrics:
Keep your eyes open
Where you roam
Because you never know
When your life's about to change
This is so true. All of it. You never know when you're going to be called to something incredible. You may not totally recognize it at first, and just be grateful for some sustenance in a dire situation, but at any moment the Lord can revolutionize your understanding of Him and your understanding of your role in this world and in his great plan.
Keep you eyes open and persevere when things seem unclear.
