Putting God First, Part 2

Putting God First, Part 2

Widow Of Zarephath

Read: 1 Kings 17:13-14

When faced with a tough decision, I prayerfully sought God’s will—but first I did a lot of questioning and waffling. Okay, God, what exactly did I say? Did I mean the first check? Was I referring to just the advance? What I had said was all the money. But it looks as if you’re providing this money for our bills. Does that mean that my promise doesn’t count? Psalm 50:14 advises us to keep the vows we make to God. Finally, I determined to keep my rash promise and began asking God to help me to do so with joy. Several weeks later, my husband began a new job.

The widow in Zarephath didn’t do any waffling. Elijah promised that she and her son would not run out of food if she used her last handful of flour to feed him first. Although the woman was not a Jew, she believed in the God of Israel so she immediately obeyed Elijah’s instructions. Instead of starving to death as she had probably expected, the widow and her son had enough food during the rest of the famine. How she must have praised God as she saw her supply of flour and oil miraculously replenished each day, month after month.

God has promised to meet our needs if we put him first. Sometimes that means doing something that looks foolish according to human logic, until we remember that he controls all the wealth and resources in the world. God delights in showing his faithfulness in impossible circumstances so that we can respond with joy and praise. We can rest assured that when we concentrate on loving and obeying God, even during times of unemployment or famine, he will somehow keep our flour and oil replenished.

My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 (NASB)