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An Unusual Instrument (1 Kings 17:7–12)
The widow, out gathering firewood to make a last meal for herself an her son, recognizes Elijah as a believer in God right away. The text doesn’t say what it was, but something let her know that Elijah was a worshiper of the Lord.
Read carefully verse 12. The woman acknowledges that God exists, but what does that, at this point, mean to her? Dwell on her phrase, “that we may eat it, and die.” What does it imply?
What similarities can you detect between 1 Kings 17:3, 4 and 17:8, 9?
God directs and guides His prophet Elijah in order to save his life. First He tells him to hide by the brook Cherith. Ravens are commanded to feed him. Following this, God commands again and sends Elijah to Zarephath, where he has “commanded a widow” (vs. 9) to feed him.
She seems an unusual instrument for God. She is a non-Israelite. She is a widow with no social standing and no influence or power. She herself is on the brink of starvation.
What an incredible lesson can be learned from observing this divine strategy. More often than not God chooses us—not for a particular strength that we may have—but rather in spite of our weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9).
Yesterday we saw that God is not limited geographically. Today we see that God is not limited by human limitations. God is the one who orders in this story. Throughout this narrative it is clear that God is in control, a point that is also very important in the larger context of Elijah’s ministry in the great battle between the Lord and Baal. Nothing and no one can stand in the way of God’s ultimate will. Later in the story, we will see that even death cannot interfere with God’s purposes. Even though things and events that are hurtful or detrimental to our lives will be thrown at us, God’s purposes for us always are good (Jer. 29:11), although we may not see this immediately. We need to learn to trust Him in all situations, both the good and the bad, for we will inevitably find ourselves at some point in both.
How has the Lord been able to use you despite your weaknesses? How much more could you do were you, through His power, able to overcome those weaknesses?
| MONDAY | December 6 |
The widow, out gathering firewood to make a last meal for herself an her son, recognizes Elijah as a believer in God right away. The text doesn’t say what it was, but something let her know that Elijah was a worshiper of the Lord.
Read carefully verse 12. The woman acknowledges that God exists, but what does that, at this point, mean to her? Dwell on her phrase, “that we may eat it, and die.” What does it imply?
What similarities can you detect between 1 Kings 17:3, 4 and 17:8, 9?
God directs and guides His prophet Elijah in order to save his life. First He tells him to hide by the brook Cherith. Ravens are commanded to feed him. Following this, God commands again and sends Elijah to Zarephath, where he has “commanded a widow” (vs. 9) to feed him.
She seems an unusual instrument for God. She is a non-Israelite. She is a widow with no social standing and no influence or power. She herself is on the brink of starvation.
What an incredible lesson can be learned from observing this divine strategy. More often than not God chooses us—not for a particular strength that we may have—but rather in spite of our weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9).
Yesterday we saw that God is not limited geographically. Today we see that God is not limited by human limitations. God is the one who orders in this story. Throughout this narrative it is clear that God is in control, a point that is also very important in the larger context of Elijah’s ministry in the great battle between the Lord and Baal. Nothing and no one can stand in the way of God’s ultimate will. Later in the story, we will see that even death cannot interfere with God’s purposes. Even though things and events that are hurtful or detrimental to our lives will be thrown at us, God’s purposes for us always are good (Jer. 29:11), although we may not see this immediately. We need to learn to trust Him in all situations, both the good and the bad, for we will inevitably find ourselves at some point in both.
How has the Lord been able to use you despite your weaknesses? How much more could you do were you, through His power, able to overcome those weaknesses?
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