Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘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.’” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.

1 Kings 17:7-16

I think it is interesting that the passage states that the Lord commanded a woman to provide for the prophet. This means that God had charged, appointed, or ordained this woman to take care of this man. Think about that. God appointed this empty woman to provide for this man.

Those of us who are struggling with being empty may be in this place because of lack of financial security. Maybe you are empty because you have more demands than you have resources. Others may be empty because something traumatic happened to you in your past that has forever wiped away your zeal for life.

It is important for us to remember that we serve a God who can supply something out of nothing. If God could commission this widow to provide for the man of God, he can do the same for you.

PRAYER: Lord, you know my situation. Life has not always been kind to me, and most days I feel depleted. I ask that you replenish what has been lost in my life. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.