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1 Kings 17:8-16 NLT
Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too. But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
Additional Scripture References: Luke 21:26; 2 Timothy 3:4; Hebrews 11:23
When you look at a loaf of bread, it’s hard to imagine that before it was baked in the oven, it was simply flour and oil. But God calls us to look at the possibilities of each ingredient rather than their limitations. The Holy Spirit allows us to see beyond what’s in front of us and look into the supernatural to see what God can do. He sees the final result and how the ingredients will come together to not only fulfill your calling but to use it for the sake of others. When we surrender what we have into the hands of our Maker, God will transform it into the miracle we’ve been praying for.
A spirit of faith replaces a spirit of fear
The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. In 1 Kings, The widow was planning to go home and die — she couldn’t see the future God had prepared for her. Fear will fill us with dread, leaving us feeling hopeless and empty. But when we have eyes for the future, we can see past our current circumstances to the hope God has for us.
God saw something in the widow that she didn’t see in herself. Long before her path ever crossed Elijah’s, God had a purpose set apart for her. We see that Elijah and the widow each had something to offer to the other — Elijah needed her natural oil and she needed his spiritual oil. The truth is that we need each other. As my calling partners with your calling, we can accomplish more together than we can apart.
We often tell God that we don’t have what we need to do what He’s called us to do. Having vision means lifting our eyes from our circumstances and setting our sights on things above. We have to see the possibility, trusting God’s promise that nothing is impossible for Him. The widow didn’t have any bread, but she had all of the ingredients. She gave God what she had and he did the rest. When we feel like we’re lacking, we can simply offer God what we have in our hands and watch as He turns our offering into a miracle.
Think of a situation in your life that seems impossible. Take inventory of the ingredients you have and offer them to God. Reflect on Matthew 19:26 and set your expectations for a miracle.
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