April 6, 2025 1 Kings 17-18

Here we get introduced to the Prophet Elijah. He prays for rain to stop on the land of Israel as a consequence for the sins of Ahab and Jezebel. God provides for Elijah during the time of famine. Then there is a show down between the Lord and Baal, between Elijah and the false prophets. No surprise the Lord wins the showdown. But the story I want to focus on in these chapters is the story of the widow. It is in the midst of the Famine and God tells Elijah to go to this widow in Sidon (to the north of Israel). She was not a Israelite but God sent Elijah to her. She is getting a ready to cook her last meal for her and her son before she runs out of food and starve. Elijah asks her to give him this meal that is the last of her food. This is a big request from Elijah but he makes her a promise God will provide for her and her son if she feeds Elijah. She gives the last of her food to him. But it isn’t the last of her food God does provide for her the floor and oil doesn’t run out. She had faith that God would do what he said he would do and God did what he said would do. May we trust like the widow to take God at his word and have faith that he will do what he says he will do.