A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   ONLY A LITTLE FLOUR AND OIL PART XIX

"I, the widow at Zarephath of Sidon now know that the God of the prophet Elijah is a good God... And that He has always taken care of me and will always take care of me and my son.... I now realise that He chose me, a widow from Zarephath of Sidon, to take care of His servant.... God could have chosen a widow in Israel to take care of His servant.... But He did not.... He chose me for that special task.... He did not choose me because I had an abundant supply of flour and oil.... No, He chose me, despite the fact that I had hardly any flour and oil... In fact, I think He chose me because I had such a little supply.... That way He could perform a daily miracle of multiplying the little I had to keep us alive and well throughout the famine... Isn't God good?... I know that God wants to show His goodness not just to me but to anyone who is willing to be used by Him in whatever way He may want them to... So they can be as blessed as I am."... Please read the typed out attachment to learn that God wants to use you too....

             ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                            ONLY A LITTLE FLOUR AND OIL PART XIX

God selected this widow, who was not even a widow in Israel, to take care of His servant. This proves that He knew who she was, knew where she lived and knew her circumstances. And yet He chose her for this special task. His prophet needed a safe place to stay where he could rest and where he would be fed. We may have expected God to choose someone who have been better able to take care of Elijah, but God did not for He knew that He would multiply the little the widow had so that it would enough for all of them to last the time they would need it.
You may feel you are somewhat like this widow for no one knows you, knows where you live, nor knows your difficult circumstances. But I want you to know that just as God knew this widow, so God knows you, knows where you live and knows your circumstances. And just as God chose to use this widow so God wants to use you. And just as God used the little she had and multiplied it in her life, so He will use that little that you have as you give it to Him and He will multiply it in your life. You may say, "Well, I don't even have what she had for I do not have any flour or oil." But I tell you, you have something to give to God for Him to multiply in your life for the benefit of others. You can show kindness to someone who may not deserve it, can't you? You can give forgiveness to someone who has hurt you, can't you? These are some of the things God is looking for you to give away so He can multiply them in your life for the sake of others.. And as you give from your heart so more will be given to you so you have even more to give away. Jesus teaches these things in Luke 5:27-38 where He says,

"But I tell you who hear me, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners"love those who love them. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" lend to "sinners", expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

The widow gave what she had and, because of it, she and her son lived. Likewise, God will cause you to come truly alive in Him when you are willing to give whatever you can be it in the form of kindness, love, mercy, forgiveness to those who may not deserve it. And you will experience His joy, His peace and His very presence in a way you may not have known before.

P.S. We have now come to the end of my story "Only a Little Flour and Oil". Next week I will start a new story "The Runaway Prophet."