1 Kings 17

1Ki 17:13
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.

Ahh.. finally reached chapter 17. The chapter when Elijah appeared out of nowhere and received training from God. My favourite chapter of 1 Kings so far.

I guess each of us has our own Brook Cherith to dwell by and our own Zarephath to go to. At Brook Cherith, where we are being shaped by God, living with only the bare minimum, and even relying on ravens to provide us with our daily meals. Are we able to do this? Are we able to live with what God has provided, however little they may seem? Similarly, at Zarephath, where God is trying to mould and refine us, living off a widow, and learning humility. In both situations, the most important lesson that God wanted Elijah (and all of us) to learn is most probably that of full obedience and submission to the word of God.

We also saw how God used ravens and a widow to train Elijah. Why ravens, when they are considered as unclean according to Jewish laws? Why widow, when she can barely fend for herself? What was God thinking?

Again, we see that through using these most unimaginable tools in His plan, God is training Elijah to be submissive and to trust in God's provision. Which man can allow himself to go dwell by the brook and be fed by ravens or to go to a widowed woman, requesting for food and lodging? But because these were the commands of God, Elijah humbly accepted.

Sometimes, God will also use ravens and widows to help us in our lives. Those who we least expect to be of any help to us. Yet they are the ones who are there to help us. Often, when we meet with difficulties or troubles, there are people in mind whom we thought can help us, or whom we would love to have their help and concern. But things don't go this way most of the time. Man may fail us (maybe not intentionally, but nevertheless, man can fail us), but God will not. He would have already prepared ravens and widows to provide us with strength to carry on.

Now, about the verse I have chosen for this chapter, as written above.

"But make me a small cake from it first."

What would you have done if you were the widow? Moreover, being a gentile, will she have faith in a God she didn't believe in? Making for Elijah a small cake first could mean using up the handful of flour before she and her son could get to eat for the last time! Why couldn't she feed herself and her son first, then make for Elijah a cake with whatever that is left?

I guess, it is a test of her faith. To see if we will be willing to put the things of God first, before our own matters. And if we are willing to put God first in our lives, God will greatly bless us, like He did to the widow. Are we able to have this kind of faith towards God, trusting in His blessings if we were to put Him first?

Finally, the last verse struck me.

Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth." (1Ki 17:24 )

How wonderful if someone shall come to us and proclaim these words to us! We need not perform great miracles nor revive the dead like Elijah did. But let us, through our daily conduct, convince people of our faith and bring people to God! Let them see Jesus through our speech, our dressing, our conduct. I am sure that the widow kept in mind these manners of Elijah while he stayed in her house, and so it wasn't just the great miracle of reviving her son that made her declare that statement.

Let us strive towards this goal - that one day someone will come to us and say, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth."