Perfect move of God:
“So [Elijah] arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold a widow was there gathering sticks.” 1 Kings 17:10
The right place may not always be a bright, great or a place of profit but it’s sure the best place from where God would unfold His blessings at the right time! Hang on with faith!
During the most dark period of Israel, when the people of God had gone down the pit of idol worship and strayed away from the Living God, God had to send an audacious man with iron will to confront king Ahab who ruled the people during that time and the prophet is none other than Elijah. He was like a green oasis in a wilderness of wild rocks and sand! I’m sure Elijah had a dramatic encounter with God and his passion for God is simply boundless that he takes up this daunting task of confronting king Ahab!
When Elijah fearlessly declared the Word of God that ‘there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word’, he knew pretty well that he was in it as well. God is looking for men and women who are ready to carry the cross for Him! Today we have the whole gamut of Christians clamor for His blessings but very few would volunteer to carry the cross! We would love to sneak under the sheets on a rainy day rather than be in church, we would give 1000 excuses if asked to help in a missionary project, we would go empty rather than chauffeur some neighbors to church in our car. I am speaking to someone out there! Elijah volunteered to minister to king Ahab! It was no ordinary job! When God honored his word and held back the rain, God opened a brook at Cherith and organized for ravens to feed Elijah twice a day with bread and meat. He is surely our Provider! Can I hear an Amen? Not once but many times I had to be in a brook and wait for God; nevertheless, He did not fail to take care of me during all those times.
Since there was no rain in the land, the brook one day dried up! Thirsty, lonely and surrounded by hostile people Elijah looked up to God and it was now that God’s crystal clear direction came to him: “go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." Let me expound this scripture to you, Zarephath situated in Sidon was a gentile city stinking of idol worship and moreover Elijah was asked to meet a widow and not someone rich and influential. Do not underestimate the plans for God, the Bible says: “The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water..’ (Isaiah 35:7) Amen. When Elijah immediately obeyed God and went to Zarephath, behold when he came to the gate of the city, a widow was there gathering sticks, immediately he knew in his spirit she was the one. When you walk with God closely, you would sure hear His voice and your path would be smooth! Are you with me? Big cross around your neck would be vain if you have failed to separate quite time with Him everyday and read His Word as well! The widow was picking sticks to cook her last meal but he daringly commanded her to make a cake for him first and then for her son; this was followed by a promise of God: “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.” When the widow obeyed, she saw abundance! God does not skimp but there’s a surge of blessings when we obey Him!
The applications that we draw from today’s lesson: a) be ready to trust God even during hard times b) Walk closely to hear His voice c) give your offerings not sparingly but abundantly.
