Sowing Out of Lack

In 1 Kings 17, Elijah proclaimed a drought in Isreal and told King Ahab that it would not rain until he said so. The backdrop to this was that Ahab and his wife Jezebel did more evil in the sight of God than any other king who reigned before him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple, which he built in Samaria and he did more to provoke the anger of God, than any other king. Although Elijah prophesied about the drought, he was echoing the heart and mind of God, who wanted to execute judgment on the land because of the king’s wickedness. The king also led the people astray in idol worship as he encouraged them to worship Baal. Now that Elijah declared a drought, he also had to consider how he was going to survive. God led him to a Brook Cherith, which flowed into Jordan and he stayed hydrated with water from the brook and God sent ravens to feed him. The ravens brought bread and meat in the morning and evenings for Elijah.
After a while the brook dried up, since there was no rain in the land, nevertheless, God had a plan to sustain him. “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (I Kings 17:9). He obeyed God and travelled to Zarephath and saw a widow collecting sticks, at the gate the city. Elijah would have perceived that this was the woman who he was sent to meet, so he asked her for some water. On her way to get the water, he called out and asked her to bring him a piece of bread. When she heard his request, the woman lamented and swore to Elijah that she did not have any bread. All she had was a handful of flour in a bin and little oil in a jar. Her plan was to gather the sticks, prepare the flour as a final meal for her and her son and then wait to die. You would think that God would have sent Elijah to someone who had a lot to give. Elijah consoled the woman and told her not to fear, but to do what she planned to do.
The only request is that she needed to make a small cake for him first, bring it to him and then she could make something for her son and herself. Elijah also had a word from the Lord for this widow. “For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth’ ”(I Kings 17:14). This statement must have sounded impossible, but the woman listened and did as Elijah requested. The result was that the widow and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up and the jar of oil did not run dry. Something else of significance happened during Elijah’s time with the widow, her son became seriously ill and died. She was indignant and practically blamed Elijah for her son’s death. He in turn took her son, carried him into the upper room where he was staying and cried out to God.
“Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son”” (I Kings 17:20)? In essence Elijah was saying, ‘God you can’t bring me to this widow’s house and use me to multiply her food and then allow her son to die.’ After crying out to God and stretching himself over the child, he came back to life and he returned the child to his mother. She proclaimed that Elijah was indeed a man of God and the word of the Lord in his mouth was true. We would think that the miracle of supernatural supply, was enough to prove to the woman that Elijah was a true prophet. However, a mother in grief over her child was unlikely to be rationale enough to consider any of this, but laid the blame squarely at Elijah’s feet. I believe that God sent Elijah to stay with that woman for a few reasons. 1. Elijah needed to be sustained during the drought and God also wanted to provide for the widow and her son. 2. They were likely to have starved to death, had he not arrived in her home with the anointing of God on his life.
3. Although Elijah made the request, it took faith for the woman to believe the word of God, that giving to the prophet out of the little that she had, would lead to increase. Often when we experience lack, our instinct is to try to protect the little that we have. How do we trust God to give out of nothing and obey him to be a blessing to others when we are struggling? The kingdom principle of sowing and reaping is a supernatural principle. When we give as God commands, we are planting or sowing a seed which is bound to yield an increase. We prove God by giving, even when things are hard and watch him expand what we have to meet not only our needs, but the needs of others. The only caution is to give as you are led by the spirit and not out of compulsion or obligation. We also need to give without murmuring or complaining so that our giving will please God. “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (II Corinthians 9:10).
A.P.-Y. Anneta Pinto-Young
Published by Anneta Pinto-Young
I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession. Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm. I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing. I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages. View all posts by Anneta Pinto-Young
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