The Word Is Truth

I Kings 17:17-24

Elijah the prophet was sent by the Lord to a widow woman of Zarephath. God worked a miracle of provision for her, as Elijah spoke the word of the Lord to her. The woman's bin of flour and jar of oil did not run dry, providing daily sustenance for this widow woman and her son. 

But one day, the son died.

She was convinced that the man of God was indirectly responsible, bringing her iniquities to remembrance before God.

Like the widow, we can easily consider calamities as God’s punishment for our sins, but it is Satan who is the accuser of the brethren. God does not mark our sins nor count them against us (Psalm 130:3-4). Christ died to take away our sins, not to condemn us.

Now faith says to the woman, "Give me your son."  Faith reminds of us how often God has worked on our behalf in His past dealings with us.

God was not seeking to remind this grieving woman of her of past sin! Rather, God was seeking to increase her faith. The woman's previous encounter with God as faithful provider was to have bolstered her faith at the time of her son's death.

We should remember what great things God has done for our lives.  Write them down in a book of remembrance and revisit them from time to time.

The widow could look back at a time when her provisions were nearly exhausted, at which time Elijah arrived on the scene and challenged her to put God first by giving up what little she had to bake a small cake for the prophet. In return, she had an abundant supply of flour and oil.

Now, Elijah asks of her something even harder. Can she entrust her lifeless son to God?

Again, she decides to act in faith and give up her son.  Elijah calls out to God.  “Have You brought calamity on this widow to whom You sent me?”

He stretched himself upon the child three times and the Lord heard the voice of Elijah and the child revived.

Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth."

When we speak truth from God’s Word, live it out and give it out! Those who observe our walk of faith will know that we are truly Christians. This is the testimony of how the faith of one, Elijah, helps another, the widow woman, to walk by faith.





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