1 Kings 17:13 NKJV
“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.'”
The supernatural power of God to provide was distinctly evident in the life and ministry of the Prophet Elijah. Called to serve at a time in Israel when Baal (idol) worship was at unprecedented heights, Elijah was faced with realities that required his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to show His greatness in ways that would leave no trace of doubt that He is God above all else. Besides that, the LORD also needed to show His approval of His servant Elijah, as His mouthpiece in the face of the challenging spiritual set up in the land at the time—and He did so well! God began by honoring all that Elijah spoke at His leading. As the famine that Elijah pronounced on the land, at the word of the LORD, began to bite, God said thus to the Prophet:
“Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there” (1 Kin 17:3-4 NKJV). Hallelujah! Yes, amid the drought and famine, Elijah was well supplied, at the command of the LORD to the ravens, that “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook” (1 Kin 17:6 NKJV). It is safe to suppose that for all the time the ravens were under God’s command to feed Elijah, they remained alive and equally supplied. Once the brook of water dried up, Elijah received another divine instruction:
“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (1 Kin 17:9 NKJV). This time, the divine command shifted to a widow! ‘Was that not an extra burden of the woman, seeing that she was a widow?’, one may ask. Well, the LORD does not put burdens on His people; rather, He lifts their burdens when they cast them over to Him. The widow did just that by trusting God’s word through Elijah (in our reference text). The result? Her “…bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry” (1 Kin 17:16 NKJV)! Beloved, always prioritize heeding God’s commands and leadings; you’ll certainly be glad you did!
Pst. Emmanuel