Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!” Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.” 1 Kings 17:23-24
We read stories throughout the Bible of times when God called His people to do things that were difficult, strange, scary, and more. Yet, each time God gave these calls, He was calling His people to take steps of faith, trusting Him even in the strangest, most difficult circumstances. Every time someone took a step of faith, God made it clear that when He guides, He also provides.
For the past few days, we have been talking about the faith of Elijah and the widow who supplied his needs in 1 Kings 17. They trusted God’s guidance even when things did not make sense. During a drought, the prophet Elijah came to her, asking her to feed him when she was practically out of food. Instead of hoarding what little she had for herself, the widow followed God’s guidance, and as a result, God provided for her and her family. During the drought, God continued to provide for her, her family, and Elijah as a result of her faithfulness.
This was not the only time God provided for this woman through her relationship with Elijah. 1 Kings 17 tells us that at some point, the woman’s son became sick and died. Immediately she turned to Elijah, questioning why this tragedy had taken place. Elijah turned to God, and ultimately God healed her son through Elijah. It was miraculous. Not only did God give them food to eat during this trial, but He sustained the life of those in this household.
As I think about this story, I have to wonder why God chose this widow as the means for providing for Elijah. I’m convinced He could have provided for Elijah through any person or any means, so why did He choose this woman with hardly anything who was struggling to survive? Don’t miss this. God chose this woman because He wanted to provide for her, too. You see, He chose her because He was going to care for her as well as Elijah. Because of her relationship with Elijah, she, her son, and Elijah had enough food and water through a long drought. God also used her relationship with Elijah to provide healing for her son. So, God’s guidance was not just for the sake of Elijah. It was for her sake as well.
My friend, when God guides us, He is going to provide for us. It may look different than we expect or hope. It will look different for each of us, so we have to remember not to compare our situation with anyone else’s. In the exact way we need, He provides for us every step of the way. From this Scripture, we see that God will often guide us to provide for us. Remember, He has already provided for our greatest need: salvation and freedom from sin and death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When God calls us to take steps of faith, we must also remember that God provides for us with each step we take. So, take some time to memorize 1 Kings 17:23-24. May this verse be a reminder to you every time that God guides you down an unexpected, even scary path that God provides when He calls us to take steps of faith.
1 Kings 17:17-24 (NLT)
Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”
But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”
And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”
Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”
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