1st Kings 18:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
The question comes home forcibly to us: Does the Lord expect folks to still be faithful in tithes and offerings when they are on their last leg of existence or does He give us a pass, until better can be done? In other words, let’s say the widow woman had to choose between feeding her son, and returning her tithe and offerings, what do you think God would expect her to do in such a life and death situation?
As we study the narrative, let us put ourselves in her shoes, and let us observe the principles of putting God, and the interests of His kingdom, first, for this is what faithfulness, in times of extreme adversity, demonstrates…… 1st Kings 17: 8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
At this time water was so scarce that even Ahab the king had to lay aside his kingly robes, and go looking for water, just like everybody else. It was humble pie in the extreme, because the people and beasts were dying, left right, and center. Thus, it is a very grim request Elijah is making, and the widow will have to make some difficult choices in this first round of testing. Would she put God first in the person of Elijah, or would she seek to provide for her son and herself first?
1st Kings 18:12 And she said, As the Lord thy God lives, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!