The Obedience and Faith of the Widow of Zarephath

After proclaiming the drought, Elijah hid himself by the brook Cherith, but when the brook dried up, God sent him to a widow in Zarephath, in the land of Sidon. With the last handful of flour and a little oil, she was about to make one final meal for herself and her son and then die; yet she did as Elijah asked and made him bread first.

The miracle of flour and oil that did not run out gave her hope of living, but not long afterwards calamity struck: her only son died. She blamed Elijah, saying it had come upon her because of her sin. Yet this was God’s providence, meant to carry her a step beyond a faith content with the plenty this world affords. What God desires is not a faith that enjoys the things of the world, but one that comes to see that the world holds no hope and looks to God alone.

Only when her son was brought back to life at Elijah’s cry did the woman at last confess that Elijah was a true prophet and that God is the Lord of life. The God who chose this Gentile woman, the weakest and most unregarded in the world, and brought her to such faith, wishes to choose and raise up even the least of us as well. It is when we look not to people or circumstances but to God alone that true faith bears its fruit.