The Widow at Zarephath

1 Kings 17-19; Colossians 2 

“Then the Word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.”

1 Kings 17:8-9

Elijah lived on mission with God. The price of that mission was obedience and faith in God as his Source – for all things. While Ahab the king hunted for him to kill him, Elijah was sent by God to Zarephath, the hometown of Ahab’s wicked wife Jezebel. God’s appointed place of refuge was a Sidonian widow from Zarephath. Even more unusual than the ravens that had already fed Elijah for some time in the Kerith Ravine, God now used a Sidonian widow to provide for Elijah’s needs. When Jesus told this story as an example of the scope of God’s kingdom mission and the depth of His mercy, the people in his hometown of Nazareth rioted (Luke 4:26). They could not accept that God’s salvation extended to the Sidonians. 

Who is the ‘Widow of Zarephath’ that God wants to use in our lives today to reveal His grace and saving power? 

How broad is our understanding of God’s mission?

“Lord Jesus, forgive me for missing the invitations to receive your grace, mercy and salvation from unusual sources. May I be open to your kingdom mission in all its fullness and depth.”