Daily Meditation - Tuesday 10June 2008 - THE CALL OF FAITH

[BarbaraTherese]

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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

1 Kings 17:7-16

A few years ago during the Yugoslavian Civil War, a poor family was forced to leave their village. Tired and hungry, they knocked on the door of a farmhouse. Being very poor himself, the farmer had almost nothing to give them. But he couldn’t say no to this pitiful family, so he reached into his sack and gave them all the potatoes he had.

• Imagine his surprise when he found that his sack of potatoes had grown mysteriously bigger!
• Not only did he have enough to feed the whole family but he had plenty for himself.
• Sound familiar?

It’s not hard to see that this story bears a startling resemblance to the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath.

• So much so that we have to wonder what’s going on!
• Like this poor farmer, the widow didn’t think she had anything to give Elijah.
• There was no rain, and the crops were dying.
• She didn’t even have anything for herself.

And yet she simply obeyed God and trusted Elijah’s prophetic word, and the blessings she received were more than she could have hoped for.

• The key to both stories is faith.
• Faith calls us to love and serve God’s people even when it seems foolish to do so.
• It calls us to give up something the world tells us we can’t do without
• —whether it’s our time, our money, or some other valuable resource
• —without asking for anything in return.
  It sounds pretty dismal so far, but the truth is that when we do live by faith, we find that God comes through for us in amazing ways.

Just when we’ve come to the end of our own resources,
we begin to see the boundless generosity of our heavenly Father—and we are brought to our knees in praise and worship.

It wouldn’t be prudent for most of us to give away everything we have.

• Still, God wants us to keep growing in faith.
• Maybe he’s asking you to donate more of your finances,
• or spend more of your free time in prayer or charitable works.
• It may not be easy
• —but it’s usually when obedience is the hardest that he blesses us the most.
• Indeed, we can never outgive God!
  “Lord, I want to give you more. Open my heart and my hands to the needs of my neighbor, and bless my efforts according to the riches of your glory.”

 

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Being put to the test

In our first reading today I Kings 17:7-16, we have:

The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry, because no rain had fallen in the land. So the LORD said to Elijah: “Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have designated a widow there to provide for you.” He left and went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked;
there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

So, put yourself in the place of the widow of Zarephath. You have already made up your mind that once you have prepared this last meal, you and your son “shall die”. This is it - the end of the line.

And then this stranger starts asking you for water and then bread - kind of pushy on his part.

What would you do? What would most people do?

“Go away, there isn’t enough food for even my son and myself - we are going to eat this last bit and die - we don’t want you here - we don’t need you here - go away”?

But, she does listen and gives away the last that she has (or thinks she has). And … God does provide.

Is faith like that? We think we have nothing left to give - and God says “give me your heart” - “Give me your all” - “Give me your full allegiance”. God said to Abraham “Go and take your son Isaac into the wilderness to sacrifice him to me” - Did Abraham say “no way!! I’ve waited long enough for this child”. No, Abraham (in faith) followed God and God provided. Here Elijah (as the representaive / prophet of God) says “Give ME all that you have” - and the widow does.

Has God ever asked you for EVERYTHING? Has He said “Go and do my work someplace”? Has He said “Trust Me for everything - for food, employment, housing?”

How would you react in such a situation? Turn your back and say “no way” - or say “I am your servant Lord”?

Heavenly Father, help us to understand how we can love you FULLY and give everything to You? Your word says “Every Good and Perfect Gift is from You”. Help us to ‘pass your test’ of faithfulness!!! Amen