I want to take you to 1 Kings 17:7-24. It is here, in the water-less, rain-less, dew-less land of Zarephath that we meet a woman. She is preparing the last meal she and her son ever hope to have. Just when she thought it was over, she is told by God to care for a man that she probably hated. This man, the prophet Elija was probably her worst enemy. Enemy or not though, God commanded her to care for him, so when Elija appears at her door, she has a very important decision to make. She could listen to God and help this man, or she could turn him away.

We can’t imagine what was passing through this mother’s head when Elija appeared on her doorstep asking for food and water. Here, at her mercy, stood Elija the prophet, the man that began the dreadful drought that she and her son were about to die from. Here he stood at her door asking her to give him the one thing she had left. At first she turned him down and told him she was making the last meal of her life so she could be content and die. He asked again though, this time asking for one more thing-her faith. He told the widow that if she made three servings instead of two, and served him first, god would never let her flour or oil supply end. there would be enough for one more meal as long as the drought lasted.

Let’s stop and think like the widow right now. First this prophet, the prophet that is causing the land you live in to wither and die, asks you for your last meal and now he wants you to trust him too?

Elija told her not to be afraid and that God would care for her. He knew God would, he had been in a place of need once too and God fed him and gave him water. [1 Kings 17:1-6]

The woman continued with what she was doing, but now she made three servings instead of two. She gave the first portion to Elija. Just as He had promised, there was enough flour and oil for one more meal. For as long as the drought lasted, Elija, The Widow, and the widow’s son had one more meal.

It took a lot of faith for that woman to give up her last meal to the very man that brought this drought on her homeland.

What would you have done? Would you have done as God asked and helped a fellow servant of God? Or would you have eaten your last meal and died? When has God asked to to put faith in Him and just trust Him? Did you do it? The next time God asks you to put your faith in Him, will you? Or would you rather eat your last meal and die?