Our Faithful Provider - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 1
Our Faithful Provider
By: Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading:
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 1 Kings 17:2-8
Imagine losing your job and all of your savings in a nonexistent job market and sensing God say, “Go to an empty warehouse in west Las Vegas, an area notorious for gangs and drug users, and ask a woman sleeping in a back corner on the floor for food.”
Would you obey or question your ability to hear the Lord’s voice? And what if reaching that place required a long, solitary walk, during which you had ample time to feed your doubts, questions, and anxiety, or to practice a sacred silence to draw closer to God and receive His assurance and much-needed confirmation for your journey?
I wonder how Elijah, the Old Testament prophet introduced in 1 Kings 17, used his 75-90 mile trek, which likely took several days on foot, from the Kerith Ravine to Zarephath in the pagan land of Sidon. Did he wrestle with doubt? He had ample reason to do so. First, this occurred during a drought severe enough to cause the brook where he’d been resting to dry up, and God had instructed him to embark on a physically demanding journey that would’ve burned at least 75,000 calories and made him quite thirsty. Third, God told him to go to Queen Jezebel’s hometown. She was a wicked woman married to the equally wicked Ahab, king of Israel. Fourth, the people of Sidon considered Baal a false god believed to govern the sky and weather, which are the most important deities. And lastly, a widow would’ve been the least likely person to support a hungry man at any time, let alone during a drought-induced famine!
However, based on what we read in Scripture, Elijah appears to obey God without hesitation or question. No doubt, his time at the brook, during which the Lord fed him miraculously through ravens, prepared him for the faith-filled journey that followed. It is equally intriguing that God used a bird He’d previously declared unclean. Did He do so to prepare Elijah to enter a pagan land, accept food from a presumably pagan woman, and later reside within a pagan home?
I don’t know the related cultural practices during Elijah’s day, but by the time of Jesus, no respected Jew would enter a Gentile’s residence, nor would they eat their food or dishes for fear. Both had been connected to idol worship. Regardless, Elijah must’ve felt some level of discomfort. But he’d learned and was learning to trust and obey God, even when it didn’t seem to make sense or evoked some level of distress.
Here's what I find beautiful. Because Elijah did as God asked, not only did he receive the nourishment he needed to survive the two-and-a-half-year drought—a deadly situation in that day. However, consider that this poor widow was out of hope before encountering Elijah. This is what Scripture records, directly following the prophet’s request for a piece of bread: “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die” (1 Kings 17:12, NIV).
Pause to consider the weight of this moment and the grief that must’ve consumed her. Experiencing starvation and facing death herself would’ve been hard. But to believe your child would soon starve, knowing there was nothing you could do to save him? I can’t imagine that type of pain.
This is what I find most beautiful in this story. The Lord met her in her pain and lack of hope and used what felt like a hopeless situation to reveal Himself as Provider. He demonstrated to her, and anyone else aware of her circumstances, that He alone was the One true God who could provide all we need from next to nothing.
Intersecting Life and Faith
Our Lord doesn’t change. The same God who fed Elijah first from ravens and then from the meager supplies of a lowly widow from Sidon promises to provide for all our needs as well. Sometimes, that provision comes during what feels like times of plenty, like when we’re employed by a well-paying company and earn enough to pay for our bills. Other times, He allows us to hit a season of need, not because He’s oblivious to or unaffected by our pain, but because He’s laying the groundwork for a beautiful, soul-sustaining miracle that will ignite not just our faith but the faith of those around us as well.
This account of His provision amid an extreme and far-reaching drought assures us that no situation is so dire or hopeless that our Father’s mercy can’t break through. We belong to a God of abundance who can take our little and make it more than enough. And, as we trust Him to do so, we can experience the joy of watching our faith become contagious to others who find themselves in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Further Reading
Philippians 4:19
Psalm 23:1-6
Luke 12:24
Photo Credit: GettyImages/Tutye
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.
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