Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go and do as you have said; but make me a little cake from it first, and bring it out to me, and afterward make some for you and for your son. For Yahweh, the God of Israel says, 'The jar of meal will not run out, and the jar of oil will not fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth.' She went and did according to the saying of Elijah; and she, and he, and her house, ate many days. 1 Kings 17:14 WEB.

After a string of bad choices made by King Ahab and Jezebel, the entire land of Israel suffered a drought, then famine. Those two seemed to honor any god around except for the Almighty God. As a result of that, it did not rain for years. The people could not plant crops in the dry dust, so a shortage of food followed.

During this drought and famine, the Lord sent Elijah to stay with a poor widow in Zarephath who only had a handful of flour in a bin and a little oil in a jar. She had planned to make a small cake for her and her son's last meal. After that, they would starve to death together. While she was out gathering sticks to build a fire to cook their last meal, she met Elijah, the prophet.

What happened next is totally against what we think our Lord would do. Instead of coming through at the last minute and miraculously providing food for the poor widow, He asked her to give Him something first. For her to share her last bit of food with a stranger.

Would God really ask a poor, starving widow with no income to share the little she had with someone else? Apparently so. It is all about trusting Him to provide for us. None are exempt from "Give, and it will be given to you." Not even the poor widow with two mites, nor the widow in this story.

Elijah told her to first make him a small cake out of what she had and then some for her and her son because the bin of flour and the jug of oil would not run out until it rained on the earth. When she humbly did as he asked, the little bit of food she had fed them all abundantly for the next three years. The supply did not run out.

Our God is a sustaining God. When trouble comes on the earth, He is more than able to take care of those who listen to His voice. The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). So do not fear the circumstances, though they seem overwhelming.

He took care of Elijah and the widow even when the land they lived in was undergoing judgment. Stay close to the Lord, for He can sustain you during the hard times. It may not come in the form of something new, but what you already have may go a lot further.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I put my trust in You today. Please lead me and speak to me in a way that I understand. Help me to see the big picture and beyond my own circumstances. Thank You for providing for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13) ~ If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network. If you are interested in joining the prayer team, here is how to get started Prayer Partners.