The Obedience and Faith of the Widow of Zarephath

This passage follows the footsteps of the prophet Elijah as he carries out his mission for God amid the extreme crisis of drought and famine. In particular, God leads Elijah, who had taken refuge in a barren place, to a poor widow in the land of Sidon, the centre of idol worship, and commands her to share the last food she has. In a hopeless situation with nothing visible to rely on, the widow obeyed God's word and fed the prophet, and as a result her food did not run out, and she gained the hope that she and her son could live.

But when tragedy struck at the height of her blessing and even her only son died, she fell into deep despair and resentment. Through this suffering God leads her a step further, beyond a faith content with the world's material blessings, into a true faith that trusts wholly in God, the Lord of life. Having seen her son raised to life, the widow at last confesses that the word Elijah spoke is true, and comes to understand how God rescues a soul and establishes it even in her weakness.

In what situation are we trusting God right now? We are led to look back on whether we live resenting our suffering, buried in the world's standards and our own feelings, or whether we obey, looking to the hand of God, who leads us through that suffering to grow into deeper faith.