#DailyDevotion You Have A Promise From The Lord

1 Kings 17:12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

What is most amazing is the widow did not start throwing stones at Elijah. He was after all the mouth of the One who called down the famine in the land. Well she wasn’t an Israelite so perhaps she didn’t know. So maybe it was not quite amazing. Yet her response to Elijah’s first request is met with hospitality. He asks for some water. Ok, sure. But then he asks for something to eat. To this she objects, she only has enough food to make a couple of small cakes for her and her son before she dies.

Now Elijah responds to this with do not fear. He speaks with the mouth of the Lord. Now this is where what the Lord said comes into play, “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” You see the Lord our God is in command of things. He can move people to accomplish what he wants, though it seems he is often letting people do whatever they want. But he has prepared this widow’s heart t receive the Word of the Lord. Having been prepared by the Lord, this widow, who wasn’t even an Israelites, has faith in God’s Word spoken by Elijah.

She has a promise, “The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.” With the faith created in her by the Word of the Lord, she goes and makes the cakes asked for by Elijah. The Lord then provided for her what he had promised.

Now we may be anxious about many, many things. You call yourself a Christian? That is good. You say you have faith? Know that this faith is a gift of God. Jesus has given you a promise so you need not be anxious, Heb 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” He spoke these words to Israel so they may be bold and courageous before their enemies. He speaks them now to you so you may be bold and courageous before whatever life throws at you. Let his promise change your heart that you may trust in Him for all good things and not look to created things which perish and only makes things worse in the end.

Heavenly Father, grant that our hearts may receive your Word with faith, that we may trust in Christ as our Redeemer and the guarantee you are with us always and will never leave us or forsake us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.