The God Who Provides

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“I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.” – Isaiah 60:22

In 1 Kings Chapter 17, during a three year drought in the land of Israel the word of God came to Elijah saying, “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have instructed a widow there to supply you with food.” Elijah made the journey to the town of Sidon and when he arrived he met a woman at the town gate gathering sticks. 

He called the woman and asked her to help her with some water to drink and as she was going to bring the water Elijah added saying, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” And the widow replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, 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

As the conditions were at the time, the drought was so severe in the land, there was no food and what the widow had at the time was only a handful of flour and a little olive oil in a jug just enough to make one last meal for her and her son and that would be the end of them. She knew that she had reached the end. 

Like the widow in the Bible, life somehow pushes people to the end, you may find yourself in a season of lack where nothing good is happening and you can’t see a way through. For some people, it is like hanging on a thread and you don’t know where help will come from. That’s the point where this widow was; she thought she had reached the end. But, she didn’t know that she was in the middle and that God had something good coming. Sometimes what may look like the end; is actually the beginning for God to work something out for us.

Prophet Elijah in his response started by saying, “Don’t be afraid.” It is important to note that he started by encouraging the widow not to be afraid. It is fear that blocks our view of God. Fear makes one to doubt, and not to see that God is bigger than our problems at hand and that He is in control. When Prophet Elijah told the widow not to be afraid, he wanted her see that the Living God was in control of her situation. He wanted her to first believe that all things are possible with God even in that season of drought. 
Does fear sometimes block your view of God? It is important to set your eyes on God rather than the problems, or the difficulties that we sometimes go through. When we fixed our eyes on the problems, we make them seem so bigger than they really are. God desires us to lean on Him, to believe in Him and know that He will supply all our needs according to his riches. 

The Prophet went on and instructed the widow to go make him a loaf of bread with all that she had and bring it to him then make some for her son and herself. He then added by saying, “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.

The scripture says that she did just as she was told, and her jar of flour was never used up and the jug of oil never ran out just as God had promised. For the three years of drought, God was able to supply her with food in the midst of drought. What does that tell you? God is never short of supply. His provision is unlimited. And when He opens the windows of His storehouse, His blessings comes flooding down on you. God is faithful to His word and unto to those who are willing to obey Him.

If the woman had refused to do what the Prophet had asked, she wouldn’t have experienced the Mighty power of God. God is more than ready to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask for to those who love Him and are willing to obey Him. 

We are called to love God and obey His commands. In our obedience to God, He reveals His true nature to us even more. Whatever God may be asking you to do, however difficult it may seem, go ahead and do it even if it doesn’t make sense for what God is about to do will defy logic. Obedience to God should come from a place of love and not based on how you feel.

Whatever things you may be going through in life may sometimes feel like it’s a lot for you to handle, and most of the time you may feel like you have reached the end but the good news is you are just in the middle. It is in the middle that things get difficult; it is in the middle that you may feel like giving up and it is in the middle where it looks like you have reached the end. If you are in the middle, and you don’t know how to get through, then be confident in this: “He who begun a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ”, don’t give up be patient in God for when the time is right He will do it swiftly. “I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.” – Isaiah 60:22

Don’t give up on God when you are in the middle. There’s so much in store for you, only believe in God and trust His ways.





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