For the last few years, America has had a struggling economy. One look at gas prices or a trip to the supermarket will show that there is a lot of uncertainty these days. To deal with this, many of us are giving much more attention to how we spend our time and money. We are weighing our priorities and are cutting out the things we see as less important. Where are we placing our priorities?
In 1 Kings 17:8-16, God told the prophet Elijah to go to Zerephath and meet a widow whom God had prepared to provide for him. When Elijah met her, he did as he was told and asked for water and a morsel of bread. We learn in verse 12 that this was no small request. All she had left was a little flour and oil (barely enough for her and her son). She told Elijah, “I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” This woman was not just in a difficult situation, she was in the most dire circumstance you could find yourself. And, their hope was so low that the widow had already accepted their fate
Elijah understood her apprehension. So, he comforted her and told her that God is going to perform a miracle. If she is willing to put her faith in God and serve, Elijah promised, “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth” (v. 14). So, the widow obeyed, and sure enough, God kept His promise (v. 13-16).
As Christians, we have a great responsibility to provide for our families. 1 Timothy 5:8 tells us, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” However, we also have responsibilities to the church. In Jesus Christ, we have been given freedom from sin and God expects us to use our liberty to serve one another. In Galatians 5:13, Paul says, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
While our duty to our families is important, we cannot allow our worries to keep us from making time for the church. We need to remember that God has promised to take care of our needs (Matt. 6:25-32). Despite the circumstances our country is currently in, few of us, if any, can say that we have ever been in as dire a situation as the widow from Zerephath. We need to have faith like hers. Whatever we may face, we must remember that God is faithful to keep His promises. So, do not let your worries keep you from doing the work of the church.
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