Prophet Elijah Miracle Oil — Image by Mª Obdulia Zamora Doménech from Pixabay
Prophet Elijah and the Widow*
King Ahab of Israel married Jezebel who brought pagan, immoral idol worship to the land. It got so bad, God sent a severe drought with no rain or crops. Meanwhile, the Lord took care of the prophet Elijah, comfy in the wilderness living by a brook. He’s dug in for the duration of the drought. But then, the brook slowly dries up.
That’s when God directs prophet Elijah to leave his place and go north to Sidon. There a widow will take care of him.
Elijah fusses and fumes about this word from the Lord. I’m sure he thought if some kind of miracle would happen, why not where he hunkered? Just a little stream to bubble up with a few gallons a day. That’s all he needed. Why send him to foreigners?
But God said, “Go!”
So, prophet Elijah trudged forward. He walked from the Jordan, clear through Israel past village after village with plenty of widows, probably pondering, “Why?” Finally, he landed at the gates of Zarephath in Sidon.
He sees a widow who gathered sticks and carried a water jar. He asks at God’s prompting, “Could you give me some water after my long journey?” Then, he adds, “Could I have a little bread too?” She looks bewildered.
He had no idea what he expected of her. Times had also been hard for this widow. She had no one support her and son during their drought season. With no income, she used up her supplies little by little. She faced the moment very soon when she’d be forced to tell her son, “We have nothing to eat.” In fact, she’d saved one last small biscuit for their last meal. She now grabbed sticks to prepare that bit of bread.
Foreign Prophet Elijah Request
Now this stranger, a Jew, dares to ask for a drink and something to eat. A great imposition on her. Prophet Elijah assures her, “Fear not. Fear not death or what’s going to happen to your son. Be at peace. Fix me a small cake and then prepare whatever you need for yourself. The Lord told me you will not run out of meal or oil until this drought ends.”
She must decide. Does she risk giving him everything? What if he’s traveling everywhere cheating vulnerable people like her? However, perhaps something about his voice or his authority convinced her he might be from God. She finally determines to do it.
We don’t know how the miracle happened. The jar kept filling with oil. Her cannister never depleted of meal. God provided.
Could You Trust God Like That?
When resources gets tight, it’s hard for us to give. We certainly hesitate to offer to just anyone all we possess. This tendency doesn’t apply only to material goods. How about in the inner character and spiritual realm? Does your patience or love or faith ever run dry? You may only have one scrap of that trait left. Are you willing to use it, to give it away?
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
Stephen Bly
Circa 1973
*Based on 1 Kings 17
Comments below appreciated!
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Just as he does in his novels, Stephen brings this Bible story to life, making the listener feel as if he’s sitting there, watching the characters act out the story. As always, he makes a practical application to our lives, gently steering us closer to where we ought be in our walk with God. Thank you, Janet, for sharing his words of wisdom with us.
Mark: Greatly appreciate the note! Blessings to you, Janet