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Testing Faith
How was the faith of both the widow and Elijah tested here? 1 Kings 17:17–24.
Notice the struggle that Elijah himself had with the death of the boy. It doesn’t seem as if he knows for sure that the Lord will raise him. His prayer seems to reflect some of the attitude of the woman herself, blaming God for the death. What this shows is that even prophets can struggle with understanding things that happen (Matt. 11:1–3).
No question, for quite a while both the widow and Elijah were living in the presence of a miracle—the continual supply of flour and oil—which should have been more than enough to keep their faith strong. And yet, even with something as dramatic as that, their faith was put to the test.
How often, too, we might have had some incredible experience with God, something that really touched us in a powerful way, only to question Him later when events unfold that we don’t like. That’s why, though miracles can have a role in the building of faith, they shouldn’t be the center of it.
How does Elijah refer to the Lord? What does that tell us about his relationship with God?
Elijah has a very intimate relationship with God; he calls God “my God.” Having a close relationship with God does not mean that one has all the answers. Elijah cannot understand why God has permitted the child to die. But it is when we have an intimate relationship with God that we can best experience the power of4 God in our lives. The miracle does not occur by a special magic formula or even the attempt of the prophet to keep the boy warm. The writer of the account makes it clear that it is God who resurrects the boy.
Elijah himself is thrilled at the results. “Look, your son is alive!” he probably shouted to the widow. No doubt, whatever this incident did for the faith of the woman, it surely helped Elijah, as well.
The widow’s response ends in a faith statement. She now knows that the God of Israel is able to sustain life and also give life.
Read Luke 4:24–26, where this widow is mentioned again. How do Christ’s words here help us better understand this story as a whole? What lessons might we draw from it for ourselves, we who are part of a privileged group?
| THURSDAY | December 9 |
How was the faith of both the widow and Elijah tested here? 1 Kings 17:17–24.
Notice the struggle that Elijah himself had with the death of the boy. It doesn’t seem as if he knows for sure that the Lord will raise him. His prayer seems to reflect some of the attitude of the woman herself, blaming God for the death. What this shows is that even prophets can struggle with understanding things that happen (Matt. 11:1–3).
No question, for quite a while both the widow and Elijah were living in the presence of a miracle—the continual supply of flour and oil—which should have been more than enough to keep their faith strong. And yet, even with something as dramatic as that, their faith was put to the test.
How often, too, we might have had some incredible experience with God, something that really touched us in a powerful way, only to question Him later when events unfold that we don’t like. That’s why, though miracles can have a role in the building of faith, they shouldn’t be the center of it.
How does Elijah refer to the Lord? What does that tell us about his relationship with God?
Elijah has a very intimate relationship with God; he calls God “my God.” Having a close relationship with God does not mean that one has all the answers. Elijah cannot understand why God has permitted the child to die. But it is when we have an intimate relationship with God that we can best experience the power of4 God in our lives. The miracle does not occur by a special magic formula or even the attempt of the prophet to keep the boy warm. The writer of the account makes it clear that it is God who resurrects the boy.
Elijah himself is thrilled at the results. “Look, your son is alive!” he probably shouted to the widow. No doubt, whatever this incident did for the faith of the woman, it surely helped Elijah, as well.
The widow’s response ends in a faith statement. She now knows that the God of Israel is able to sustain life and also give life.
Read Luke 4:24–26, where this widow is mentioned again. How do Christ’s words here help us better understand this story as a whole? What lessons might we draw from it for ourselves, we who are part of a privileged group?
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