Old Testament Reading: I Kings 17:1 - 18:1
In Luke 4, Jesus returns to his hometown after a remarkable time of ministry in Galilee. News of him has spread throughout the region; yet in his hometown, he meets resistance from those who should have known him best. (In Matthew 13:58, we see clearly that this resistance was due to their unbelief.) Jesus mentions two Old Testament stories while trying to teach them. These two stories (Elijah and a widow & Namaan) reveal how a lack of trust and a lack of understanding of God's grace hinder and destroy our faith AND how God is able to work in the midst of our difficult circumstances to reveal His grace and restore our trust in Him.
Today, we will look at the story of the widow. Elijah has been living with a widow and her son who lived near Sidon, a city know for its pagan idol worship, during a severe famine. Despite their poverty, they share their last supplies of food with Elijah only to find God miraculously begins to multiply their food each day while Elijah is with them. In the midst of this remarkable provision that has saved their lives from starvation, the woman's son suddenly dies.
The woman responds with a declaration that reveals her view of God and herself. She says, "What do you have against me man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" (vs. 18) This statement reveals that she believes God is against her and that her son's death because of her sin. God's previous provision in her life seems to be forgotten instead in the midst of hardship she can only see her sin.
How often do we when difficulties come or life becomes emotionally challenging do we become aggravated with our circumstances and with God? It is in these moments that we often feel that God has become very distant from us, and sadly we become increasingly aware of our own failures and sins.
The miracle of this story is that Elijah (the prophet of the Lord no less!) does not heap judgment on this woman because of her sins (as we might expect) in fact he doesn't even tell her to repent. Instead, he takes her son, prays for him, and her son is restored to life!
The woman is stunned. With a single intervention of God's grace, this woman is brought from a place of doubt, anger, and condemnation to faith in who God is and trust in what His word says. She responds, "Now I know your are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth." (vs. 24)
Today, if you are struggling feeling God is angry with you... if you feel overwhelmed by your sin.. if you feel spiritually isolated... let me assure you God is working the the midst of your difficult circumstances to begin to reveal his grace to you.
Here in this Old Testament story we see that God is a God of grace. He is willing to work miracles even for those who are despondent and bitter. He is using your painful circumstances to make your faith stronger. Before this tragedy the widow's faith could be shaken by any trial or hardship; but through the most painful experience possible (the death of her son), God is able to reveals who he is and enables her to trust His word again.
"The people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of diseases, and laying his hands on everyone, he healed them." (Luke 4:40)
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