Daily Treasure

“So he arose and went to Zarephath, And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow was there gathering of sticks…(1 Kings 17:10a).

As I mentioned last week, the widow of Zarephath did not go unnoticed. She was near the gate when Elijah found her gathering sticks.  She was not lazy.  In spite of the fact she was living below poverty level, we have no record that she ever complained or blamed God for her circumstances. She was a woman of faith.  Though she was a Gentile, she embraced the true God.  This week, we are going to learn more about this widow.  She was left alone to raise a son.  Surely that son was her lifeline. My children were grown when their dad passed away, so I can only imagine what it might have been like for her to raise a child alone. Under any circumstances this can be difficult. Pray for widowed or single moms as they do their best to raise their children.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Praise God for all Oklahoma FWB women who had a part in the 2010 Convention. Ask God to bless their state WAC meeting today.

“Job continued speaking, I long for the years gone by when God took care of me…”  (Job 29:1 NLT).

It’s the age old question, asked by believing and non-believing.  It surfaces during the toughest of times.  It nags at the heart and mind, whether or not it’s ever voiced…Why would God allow this to happen?

Don’t tell me you’ve never wondered this yourself.

Why did God allow 9/11 to occur?

Why would a God, a loving God, allow cancer?

How can God sit aside and watch so many of the things that corrupt this world?

What did the people of New Orleans or Haiti do to deserve such destruction?

Job was sitting around a cold, lonely fire wondering the same kinds of things.  His children were gone. His prosperity, blown away.  His reputation was being marred by the closest of his friends.  He said aloud what we’ve thought ourselves…Why, God?

May I turn the question around?  Might I change a few words and present a totally different view of things?  Here goes…

Why God would you ever choose to bless us?

How can you allow so many sun-filled, rainless days?

My family, my friends, my health, my peace–what did I ever do to deserve those?

Why, God, did you give up your Son on the cross for me?

Smooth sailing, sunny days, sleep-filled nights, beaming doctor’s reports and plump checkbooks have a way of allowing us to slip into a state of feeling like we have just what we deserve.  Oh, how far from the truth that is.  Why is it we solicit God on behalf of our needs, cry out to Him when we feel as if life’s unfair and complain when a storm wreaks havoc on our garden party?  Why don’t we question His goodness?

Job has made me think this morning about all God has given to one undeserving gal.  He’s brought to my mind the stock-piles of blessings He’s allowed to come into my life, undeserved and unmerited.  He has convicted me of the simple fact that I’m an unappreciative, selfish princess-brat in the Royal Family.

Why would He have ever chosen to bless me?  Why?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Thank God for your pastor. Write a note of appreciation of give a gift. It’s Clergy Appreciation Day.

“O Lord, you know all about this…”  (Psalm 35:22 NLT).

David has written in this psalm about the days, months and years he spent running from his enemies.  He has sought God’s opposition against his foe.  He has asked for humility and disgrace to fall on those who keep him running for his life.  He has spoken of traps sets, pits dug and lies lied.  He writes about his desire to seek God and to have God seek out those who have made his life hard.

He rants.  He raves.  He moans.  He whines.  He cries out for help.  He shakes his fist in desperation.  He seeks help.  He requests assistance.  And in the end?  In the end he writes…”O Lord, you know all about this…”

Friend, it’s not that God doesn’t know about your tough time.  It’s not that anything you pray to Him will catch Him off guard or cause Him to gasp in surprise.  He cannot and will not be taken aback at the news of any situation or dilemma you plead in His presence.  He will not be out of the loop when you come to Him with your heart’s need.

He knows all about it.  He is well aware.  He understands.  He is in the know.  He was just waiting for you to come to the realization.

Freeing, isn’t it?  Makes the load lighter, doesn’t it?  Relieves and releases, don’t you agree?  The simple fact that you remind yourself that He knows—aaah, much better.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that God would move today among the hearts of women attending the South Carolina WAC Retreat.

“Arise, get thee to Zarephath which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee”  (1 Kings 17:9).

Elijah had enough faith to believe God would provide for him. He obeyed when God told him to go to Zarephath.  Zarephath was a coastal town located between Tyre and Sidon.  The sinful Jezebel was a Sidonian.  If I had been Elijah I would be asking the question posed in the title of today’s devotion.  Elijah had been commanded to go and reside in the heart of the very land from which the Baal worship now being promoted in Israel had come. Jezebel was his worst enemy and God had chosen her “hometown” as Elijah’s hideout.

When Elijah arrived in Zarephath, he was not welcomed at the gate by rich merchants or another prophet.  There was also a famine in that land. The first one to meet him was a poor, destitute widow. Was this the widow woman God was going to use to sustain him?  How in the world would this happen?  As I tried to understand the last part of our verse, I found I was as confused as Elijah and the widow may have been.  God had a strategy, and, we should never question God’s plan.   Elijah was in the middle of enemy territory.  Our writer states “But God would not command a mighty army there; He needed only a poor widow and an obedient servant to display His power.”  Everything was aligned. Join me as we are finally ready to meet the widow of Zarephath.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the needs of widows in your church.

“And it came to pass after that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land” (1 Kings 17:7).

As water and food became more scare, the brook Cherith dried up completely.  What was Elijah going to do?  He prayed for God’s direction. God had a plan and Elijah needed to be willing to obey.  Elijah was going to Zarephath where he would meet someone who would make a difference in both their lives. Soon we will meet our study’s “solitaire.”

There will be times in life when your soul feels like it has dried up. Continue to pray and be willing to listen to His direction.  He will fill your empty soul with “living water.”  He will direct you to someone who will sustain you.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for teen girls and women in your church who are struggling to maintain sexual purity.

“So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith,  that is before Jordan” (1 Kings 17:5).

Elijah’s prophecy of three years without rain began to affect food and water supplies. Obviously all the water did not evaporate as the famine began.  As food was becoming scarce, God led Elijah to the Brook Cherith so He could provide for him. God could have used angels to minister to him.  In His power and wisdom, He chose to use unclean, greedy ravens to give him nourishment. When we go through difficult times, feeling there is no way out, God will use whatever means to show us to depend only on Him.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for WNAC Executive Committee member Pam Hackett as she leads South Carolina WAC.

“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word”
(1 Kings 17:1).

Though we know very little of the life of Elijah, we do know he was a prophet devoted to God.  He appears on the scene at a time when Ahab and his wife Jezebel were leading the Israelites away from the true God.  The worship of Baal and other false gods would bring judgment upon Israel. God used Elijah to give a prophecy.  Elijah could have just proclaimed this to the people.  However, with boldness and courage he went straight to Ahab and Jezebel with his proclamation of judgment.  There would be no rain upon the land for three years.

This came not only as a judgment against sin but also to prove to the people that their false gods could not bring rain.  Coming before the king, Elijah could have been put to death, but God’s over-ruling providence stopped this from happening. He would have to flee, and God would take care of him during the famine about to happen.  Tomorrow we will move one step closer to Elijah’s meeting with the widow of Zarephath.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that God would raise up needed leaders within your congregation.