Provider

Meditation
1 Kings 17:14—For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.”
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The ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and he drank all his water from a brook.  The sky was like a stone and the stream dried up before the prophet heard a word from the Lord.  “Go at once to Zarephath there’s a widow in that town. I’ll put it in her heart to make your meals.”  It’s a little coastal village where idols all abound but it’ll be a safe place for him to stay.  

He asked her for some water he implored her for some bread. He has a grumbling stomach in a drought. She’s never met this man, he’s a foreigner to her town, and what a time to show his gnarly face.  She’s astounded by his offer.  She’s floored by his boldness. She tells him that her flour’s running out.  The oil in her jar is down to the bottom and now he comes along making his request.

He says, “Don’t be afraid, go home and make a cake and make it so the three of us can dine.” Her little son is helping her gather up the sticks to cook their final meal before they die.  “The mighty God of Israel, the One who is the Lord is making you a promise you can claim. The flour in your jar, the oil in your jug will last you until it starts to rain!”  

He asked her for some water he implored her for some bread. He’s hungry as a prophet in a drought. She’s never met this man he’s a foreigner to her town but there’s something in his eyes she can’t explain. She’s a good cooking woman with a heart made of gold.  It’s Elijah’s bed and breakfast on the coast. The flour’s never gone and the oil ever flows ‘cause the Lord never fails to keep His Word! 

So the moral of the story is for every one with ears
The time will come when you will hear the Lord.
When He asks for sacrifice and it seems impossible 
He will make a way where none was there before.
He’s the mighty God of Israel, He’s the Maker of your soul, 
He’s the ever-running River through the drought.
He’s the Father to the widow and the resurrecting power.  
He’s the One in whom your faith should never doubt!
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The same God who fed about 5,000 men plus women and children with two fish and five loaves of bread, can feed a few people 5,000 times with a handful of flour and a little oil!  Our God is the Great Provider!  The question we must answer is, “Are we willing to trust that He is able to meet our needs when we in our limited faith can only see what we don’t have?”   
 
Inspiration
God feeds even the worm in the earth.—Yiddish Proverb 
​He who gives us teeth will give us bread.—Jewish Proverb 
 
©2005 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)