The Miracle In Your Last Meal

“Then the word of the Lord came to [Elijah], saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”  

 1 Kings 17:8-9 (NIV) 

What would you do if God asked you to give the little you have left to someone else? Would you hold tightly to what you have, or would you open your hands in faith? 

In 1 Kings 17, we find Elijah directed by God to a widow in Zarephath. This wasn't just any widow–she was preparing her last meal before she and her son would die of starvation. When Elijah asked her for bread, she painfully said, "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) 

Imagine the audacity of Elijah's request: "Make me a small loaf of bread first, then make something for yourself and your son." To our ears, it sounds selfish and insensitive. But Elijah was about to reveal a divine promise: “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” (1 Kings 17:14, NIV) 

The widow faced a critical decision–trust God with her last meal or hold on to what little remained. Her choice teaches us a powerful lesson: When you give God all that you have, you always wind up with more than you started with. 

God's economy defies your calculations! Jesus says that what you give to God you keep, but what you keep for yourself, you lose: “If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you’ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms.” (Luke 17:33b, MSG) 

In your life right now, what is God asking you to surrender? It might be your time, resources, comfort, or security. The widow teaches you that obedience, even when it seems foolish by worldly standards, opens the door to God's supernatural provision. 

Don't make deals with God saying, "If you will, I will." Instead, trust Him enough to go first in obedience, knowing that His promises never fail. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me the courage to open my hands and offer You what little I have, trusting that Your supernatural provision will follow my obedience. Help me to stop calculating and start believing that You are faithful to Your promises. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.