God Provides

God Provides God on Monday
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Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there, for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he set out and went to Zarephath (1 Kings 17: 8-10 NRSV).

Reflection

After telling King Ahab, who had disobeyed God, that a drought would strike Israel, the prophet Elijah is instructed by God to hide in a wadi. There God provided water for the prophet from a brook, and bread delivered remotely by ravens. When the brook ran dry, God told Elijah to go to the town of Zarephath where he would be fed by a widow. Again Elijah obeyed, without questioning God.

There is a lot to learn from Elijah’s readiness in his work to do God’s will. He did not request elaborate explanations from God; he simply followed God’s lead and accepted God’s provision. This reminds us that God will care for us and sustain us when we follow God’s lead, however scary and uncertain it can feel to trust God to do this.

We may wonder why the lord did not send Elijah directly to the widow’s house, rather than first having him stay in the deserted wadi. While the exact reasons are unclear, we can assume that God sometimes needs us in a place of solitude, to focus on him before we are sent on our next assignment. What this process requires is not a full understanding of God’s will but trust and obedience.

Response

How many times do you hear what God wants of you in your work and immediately obey? Do you tend to put your response on hold? What is the Lord asking you to do this week? Will you trust that he has gone before you to provide all you need to sustain you?

Prayer

Sharpen my ears, dear Lord, so that I hear you when you speak to me. Give me an obedient heart so that I will follow you in all my work, trusting that you are using me for your glory and the extension of your kingdom.

Next Steps

Read 1 Kings 17: 1-34

This Week's Author

Dr Naar M’fundisi-Holloway, Action Researcher in the Research and Development Unit, Salvation Army Territorial HQ (London).
Naar M'fundis

God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the coming Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up to Faith in Business here to receive each God on Monday instalment.

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