I Kings 17:13–16

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 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.’ ”

So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.

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The widow’s response demonstrated her trust in the prophet of God. Since she had witnessed Jehovah’s power to bring about a drought, surely she could trust Jehovah’s ability to provide miraculously. Her obedience to Jehovah’s command by way of Elijah was also a denial of Baal, since Baal worship was supposed to provide bountiful provision as a storm god. By submitting to the one true God, the widow showed faith in Jehovah, believing that He was able and faithful to provide so much more than Baal ever could.

A Peanuts cartoon shows Charlie Brown and Linus sitting on a bench. The caption reads, “Worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening; it just stops you from enjoying the good.” Worrying is a destructive habit that impacts our body and our faith. Dr. Charles Mayo, one of the founders of the Mayo Clinic, said, “Worry affects circulation, the heart and the glands . . . I have never known a man who died from overwork, but many who died from doubt.”

Each of us will face situations in which our first reaction is to worry or doubt. We may even find ourselves like the widow at Zarephath who was preparing to die. When you are struggling with worry and doubt, take time to praise God for the times He has shown His faithfulness in the past. Remind yourself that God was faithful yesterday. He is faithful today. He will be faithful tomorrow. Surrender your worry to God.

That concludes our devotional for today. Let us finish with a word of prayer. 

WORD OF PRAYER

Lord, help me to cast aside worry and doubt, trusting in Your faithful provision as You demonstrated with the widow at Zarephath. Remind me of Your past faithfulness, and strengthen my faith to believe in Your continuous care and provision. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In the name of Jesus, amen.