Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 17:7-16
This week our quest leads us into the home of an unsuspecting woman. She thought she was headed for death—until the Lord breathed new life into her circumstances. Let’s get started!
First, can you even imagine asking a widow for food and water in the middle of a famine and drought? I admit I’d be much more comfortable feeding her than having her serve me. It was an awkward act of faith on Elijah’s behalf, but his obedience became contagious. In the end, he and the widow’s family survived the devastating drought.
One thing I love about this story is that God used someone insignificant to do something significant. What was this woman’s name? We know where she lived (Zarephath). We know her marital status (widowed). We know how much was in her bank account (nothing). We’ve even inventoried her pantry (almost empty). But, we don’t know her name.
We do, however, know the prophet’s name, and we know what his name means: Elijah, The Lord, He is God.
Think about it. The Lord, He is God asked an unnamed, insignificant woman to participate in one of the greatest miracles recorded in scripture. Her obedience leaves us with the incredible truth that God can use irrelevant people—like you and me—to perform notable tasks.
- What limitations have you allowed to stand in the way of your being used by God?
- How qualified do you think you need to be before God can use you to accomplish something significant? What qualifications does God look for?