Widow's Bread

WIDOW’S BREAD

1 Kings 17:10-16 CEV

                ¹⁰ When Elijah came near the town gate of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks for a fire. “Would you please bring me a cup of water?” he asked. ¹¹As she left to get it, he asked, “Would you also please bring me a piece of bread?”

                ¹²The widow answered, “In the name of the living Lord your God, I swear that I don’t have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour and a little olive oil. I’m on my way home now with these few sticks to cook what I have for my son and me. After that, we will starve to death.”  

                ¹³Elijah said, “Everything will be fine. Do what you said. Go home and fix something for you and your son. But first, please make a small piece of bread and bring it to me. ¹⁴The Lord God of Israel has promised that your jar of flour won’t run out and your bottle of oil won’t dry up before he sends rain for the crops.”

                ¹⁵The widow went home and did exactly what Elijah had told her. She and Elijah and her family had enough food for a long time.¹⁶The Lord kept the promise that his prophet Elijah had made, and she did not run out of flour or oil.

            A handful of flour and a little olive oil that is a very basic recipe for bread.  There was no time for livening.  The widow and her son were starving to death.  This was to be their last meal.  All that was at hand to eat was flour, oil and water. 

            I made bread from this recipe, although I added just a pinch of salt.  This bread is for our last communion meal for the year at Cutty’s campground.  It seemed a fitting way to end our season of worship. 

            Because space is at a premium, campers and RVers know how to “make do with a little”.  With this handful of flour and a little olive oil we will feed the twenty or so people who attend our last worship service. 

            The story of turning a little into “a lot” or at least “enough” is the story of God’s love for us.  We turn over the little we have to God and He makes it enough.  Sometimes He makes it an overflowing blessing so that we may bless others.  The widow did this with Elijah and certainly Christ has done it for us.