What Do You Have?Sample

In 1 Kings 17, Elijah, the prophet, at God’s word, told King Ahab there would be neither rain or dew for years, unless Elijah called for rain. After giving this decree to King Ahab, God led Elijah to a widow in Zaraphath who would provide for him since the brook Cherith had dried up. When he arrived, there was a woman gathering sticks. Elijah asked her to bring him water. As she was going to fetch the water, he also asked her for a piece of bread. She told the prophet, “As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar. See, I am gathering a few sticks so that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it [as our last meal] and die.” When Elijah arrived, this mother was gathering sticks to prepare what she believed to be the last meal she and her son would ever eat. Hearing this, the man of God said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. Just make me a little bread from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.” He then told her that God said neither her flour or oil would run out until the Lord sends rain again. The widow, in an amazing act of faith and obedience, did as Elijah said and her family ate for many days.

What would you have done in this situation? It is hard to imagine a mother making the decision to feed a stranger who said God will provide for you, but you have to feed me first, ahead of your child. I do not know if she believed the prophet, but she clearly believed and had some level of faith in Elijah’s God.

What’s the key takeaway in this story? When you have done all you believe you can do and exhausted all of your resources, look around. What do you have? It does not have to be a lot on its own. God is the God of multiplication. If you are willing to trust him, He will take your little and make it more than enough!

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