THE WISDOM OF A WIDOW
I Kings 17:8-16
The sun beats down unmercifully upon the tiny town of Zarephath, a remote village well to
the north of the land of Palestine. It is there that a fraw widow woman searches for sticks.
Why is she searching for sticks? She is searching for sticks because she has no more fuel, and
must find something to help her prepare one last meal for her and her son. You see, it hasn’t
rained inover 3 years. the land is hard and dry and parched and barren. There is a terrible
famine. And as usual, the poorest are hit the hardest.
She is resigned to the fact that there is nothing else she can do to sustain her own life. But
for the sake of her son, with the hopes that he might somehow survive, she gathers up sticks,
trying to ignore the stomach pains and fatigue, yet feeling her life force slowly ebbing away.
As she bends down to pick up a dead, dry chunk of wook, she sees in the corner of her eye,
from a distance, the hazy figure of a man apporaching the town gates. She glances up and as he
draws nearer, she can tell by his attire that this stranger is a Jew. And she marvels in the fact
that he looks relatively healthy, well-fed, almost portly in appearance (she doesn’t know that
this man of God has been fed each day by Ravens sent by God!”)
And this stranger, this middle-aged Jewish man, walks up to the sin-sick widow, and makes a
request. “Mayu I have some water to drink?” She is preparing to die, with barely enough
energy to complete her chores, and this stranger has the audacity to ask for a drink of HER
precious water! What would you do? What would you say? We would likely say, “Get you own
water stranger, I’ve got to worry about myself!”, or “I’m the last person in the world you should
be asking for provisions”, or at theast (out of politeness) we might say, “I’m sorry sir, I cannot
help you. Perhaps some wealthy citizen of this town could be of assistance.”
INSTEAD, she offers no resistance at all. she quickly gets up and hurries over to her water
jug, to fetch him some water. THEN, he pushes the issue. “While you’re at it Ma’am, could you
also give me a little bread to eat?” WHO IS THIS MAN?
She turns to the prophet and sadly confesses her flight. she explains to him that she only
has enough flour and oil to make one last meal for her and her son. She expleains that they are
starving and near the point of death. After an explanation like that, we might expect an apology
out of Elijah. but instead, he is even more pervasive.
“Well then”, he exclaims, “please use the last of your flour and the last or your oil and make
me a cake of bread and let me eat it!” Then he adds, “God has promised that if you will serve
me what you have, He will take care of you!” WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
They say that there is nothing among men as strong as a mother’s love for her children, YET
I want us to picture what may have happened next.
1. She walks into her mud hut. Her son is sleeping on a mat on the floor.
2. She begins to cook up the ingredients. (DESCRIBE the boy awaking to the pleasant aroma)
3. She turns her back to her own son and walks out the door, to ELIJAH!
4. She gives the cake to Elijah, (DESCRIBE the crumbs falling into his beard).
5. She goes back into her house. She is afraid to look in the jars. BUT WHEN SHE DOES...
THERE IS OIL! THERE IS FLOUR! {Read verse 15)
As we think about the faith that this wise widow exercised, it reminds us of our own journeys
of faith and trust in the Lord. Today, I want us to notice 3 similarities.
I THE PROBLEM
A Although she overcame it fairly quickly, there was a problem that the widow had to
contend with. Here was the problem.
1. She had something that was very precious to her.
2. God asked her to give it up.
B Though it doesn’t say much here, we can only imagine the struggle that went on within this
woman. After all, IT WAS ALL SHE HAD!
C “What’s the point? Are you saying that I need to go home to my pantry and give the rest
of my groceries to our preacher?” Exactly! (Just kidding)
But God does call upon us to be willing to give up, even that which is precious to us.
1. It may be a person. I.e. The girl I dated before meeting Pam.
2. It may be a thing. It’s amazing how devoted we can be to things.
3. It may be a dream or our own plans. I.e. My football dreams
4. I.e. Salvation works a lot like this too. We don’t want to surrender!
5. And of course, this is certainly true when it comes to GIVING BY FAITH!
a. I.e. Missionary at Calvary BC -- all I had was a twenty dollar bill. I don’t recall how
God took care of me, but I’m here and I’m well fed!
b. It’s not easy to give by faith. But God will supply.
LET GOD’S WORD ASSURE US THAT WHENEVER GOD TAKES SOMETHING FROM
US, HE ALWAYS REPLACES IT WITH SOMETHING BETTER!
D But it’s not easy to give something up, when it’s precious to us.
1. It is incredible to me that this woman gave up her son’s last meal!
2. I.e. I have often wondered how Elijah must have felt! I.e. Widow in Texas
E But folks, this is where the “rubber meets the road”. The very foundation of a life of
faith, means being willing to let go.
1. And that’s the problem. “Do I hold on -- or do I let go!”
2. I challenge you to surrender whatever God is asking of you. You’ll be glad you did!
II THE PROMISE
A The Bible says “The just shall live by FAITH”.
1. What is faith? Faith is believing God. Romans 10:17
2. Notice that the widow exercised Biblical Faith. v 14,15
B Whenever God promises us something, we can “take it to the bank!”
C “Does this mean that if I were to actually let God tell me what to give, even if
I can’t give it, that I will be able to give it and that I’ll even get something back!”
1. NOW YOU’RE CATCHING ON!
2. Luke 6:38 and Matthew 6:33 tells us that!
III THE PROVISION
A Reading verse 16 makes me want to shout!!!
1. There is some contraversy among preachers over this. Was the jar full? Or just
enough each day?
2. What does it matter! That’s not the point! The point is, SHE NEVER RAN OUT OF
GOD’S SUPPLIES!
B I’m happy to tell you today with all assurance that God’s supplies STILL DON’T RUN
OUT!
1. God’s grace in our lives never runs out. I.e. Spurgeon/ John 1:16 “Grace upon grace”
2. His Word never runs out! “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not
pass away.”
3. God’s ability to meet our nees will NEVER run out!
Paul said, “But my God shall supply ALL your need according to His riches in glory.”
OH BOY! I want to testify!!
C Just think... the widow would never have known God’s ability if she didn’t first have an
INABILITY.
1. Hey, do you remember the Macedonians? They gave out of their INABILITY!
2. That’s when the Christian life gets FUN!!
CONCLUSION:
Illustration: “Let God” and “Let Go”
