Taking Back Your Lack

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon... –1 Kings 17:7-9 KJV

In this passage in First Kings, Elijah had been obedient to the call of God, and he was in a place of provision. He had everything he needed to survive: food, water, and safety from the wicked duo of King Ahab and Jezebel. Then seemingly out of nowhere, he went from provision to poverty. He needed help. Imagine the thought process of Elijah when He heard this from the Lord, “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee” (1 Kings‬ 17:9 KJV).‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Elijah was probably thinking, “Really God?” First, God wanted Elijah to go back into Zidon, the hometown territory of Jezebel, the very person who wanted his head. Second, a widow woman was to help him? Hardly an enticing proposition in that day! But again, Elijah was obedient. He went to Zidon and found someone else whom the enemy had tried to destroy—a woman with a son, gathering sticks to cook her last meal. She was hardly in a position to help, but she did so anyway. The Lord was faithful and provided for all three of them. Later, the Lord rewarded the woman for her obedience and faithfulness in a mighty way. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).