Daily Devotion for March 13, 2024

 

Devotion:

For an audio version of this devotion, click here.

Read 1 Kings 17:8-16.

Elijah was God’s prophet during the days of King Ahab. There was a severe drought in the land. This prophet’s story throughout this chapter proclaims God’s provisions for sustaining life at every turn: through the ravens and the waters of the Wadi-Cherith; through a Sidonian widow; and through God’s resuscitation of the widow’s son. The threads which tie these stories together are: Life is made possible by the Lord alone, and the importance of the Word, meaning the word of the Lord as spoken through the prophet.

In today’s verses, Elijah is given instructions by the Lord to go to the city of Zarephath. Just as the Lord ordained the ravens to feed Elijah in the previous verses, now the Lord has ordained a widow to feed him.

This is somewhat confusing for Elijah and particularly confusing for the widow. Being a widow and now with the drought, she has almost nothing. Now, here is this Prophet asking her to share with him, part of the very little food which she has. If anyone had good reasons for not sharing, she did! As she begins to explain why she can’t share, she speaks the same words as Elijah has spoken at the beginning of the chapter, “As the Lord your God lives…..”

Elijah assures her with the words of the Lord, “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.” And the Lord’s words were trustworthy and true.

This widow was faithful and obedient with the little she had and God provided all she needed.

Years ago, a very small congregation made a commitment to the Mustard Tree Ministry to serve over a hundred people in downtown Chattanooga, on every month’s third Thursday. It was a commitment of time, resources and heart. Often on those third Thursdays, we would wonder if there would be enough food to offer all who attended the dinner, but every single time, God provided in miraculous ways, more than enough!

Personal Worship Option:

The third chapter of Hal Donaldson’s book, “Your Next 24 Hours” is titled, “Be Their Miracle”. The focus of the book is that “one day of kindness can change everything.” He writes in the third chapter, “when you and others share what you have, many receive what they don’t have.” What can we share today that together with others, can make a difference for many others?