24Then 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 17:24, NLT
Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, the widow said. It is interesting as for many days, Elijah had been hanging out with her and her son. The widow and her son were literally down to their last meal and she was picking up some sticks to start the fire to bake the meal, when Elijah happened upon her.
12But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”
1 Kings 17:12, NLT
This was in response to Elijah needing a cup of water and then saying “oh, and can you bring me a bite of bread too?” So, Elijah tells her to do exactly what she was going to do, except make his bread first, and in so doing, God would make sure there was always enough left to make another meal. This goes on for many days and yet she still hasn’t figured out that this is a man of God? It is only after “some time later,” so maybe many more days, weeks, months even, that her son got sick and died. She got frustrated and vented to Elijah that it was his fault that her son had died:
8Then 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?”
1 Kings 17:8
Elijah takes her son to an upper room, sprawls over the boy three times while praying and pleading to God for God to bring her son back to life, which mercifully, He did.
So, here we are, back to the line “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God!” I am trying to figure out what this dear woman was thinking. This guy shows up out of nowhere and she basically now has just enough to eat every day because He said she would. That is supernatural. There aren’t many choices on what to think here. It sounds like she had almost convinced herself that this was a man of God, but she was still not 100% sure.
I think we can all relate to this woman. You see, sometimes God puts people in our lives who may not do supernatural things, but who give us just what we need when we need it. Sometimes, God answers a prayer. Other times, he puts us in a situation where we are at exactly the right moment to minister to someone else. He uses every person and every situation to mold us into who He wants us to be. Sometimes, that is unpleasant, and many times, the unpleasant outcome isn’t a punishment, but a tool.
Yet, how many times do we catch ourselves with unbelief? If we believe in Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit, then why do we keep doubting? We start to walk on water like Peter did on the sea of Galilee, and then we get those same doubts and start to sink. How many times does God have to prove Himself to us before we really catch on and have ZERO doubts?
I remember a pastor who used to tell us he was preaching his sermons to himself and hoping we would get something out of it. This blog is me writing to myself and hoping you will get something out of it. I doubt, I pout, and I sometimes kick and scream when things aren’t going my way. I lose a job, a business deal, a friend, etc. and it’s “woe is me!” Why have I still not figured out that it is all part of His plan and He knows better than me? I am just like this woman with one of the few prophets of God living with her and yet she doubts what she is seeing. I am her. I am sure God just shakes His head as he proves time and time again that He knows what is best for me.
Maybe one day I will learn.
Nah, probably not….
Dear Jesus, I am sorry for those times I doubt you and the Father and that you know what is best for me. You give me and us just what I and we need right when we need it. No more than we need, and no less. You prove yourself faithful over and over again. Please let me learn to have the type of faith that moves mountains. In Jesus’s mighty name I pray, Amen.
Sixty-six books in a year 