The Widow Who Put God First

Let’s use our imagination, shall we?

The land is dry. There is a terrible drought.

Food and water are scarce, and in Zarephath a widow is picking up the tiniest sticks you ever see.

She mutters,

“Look how small these sticks are… these lil’ twigs can barely bake one last roti.

After that, me and my boy… we done.”

She’s heading home when a dusty stranger—Elijah—calls out,

“Excuse me! Could you bring me some water?”

She squints at him.

“Water? Fine. I still got that.”

But then he says,

“Oh—and bring me some bread too.”

She stops so hard the dust pauses in mid-air.

“Bread? From where?”

She lifts her sticks.

“Look Buddy, I so poor that I collecting these sticks to bake me and my son we LAST meal. After that we going under that tree and dead, just so!

We ain’t got NOTHING to give you.”

She whispers to herself,

“This man moving like I got a whole bakery behind me house.”

But Elijah calmly says,

“Don’t fear. Make me a small loaf first!”

She stares at him.

“FIRST?”

She looks at her son, looks at her flour, looks back at Elijah.

She chuckles to herself,

“Boy, this man bold!”

Elijah continues,

“Yes, make me a small loaf first, and then make some for yourself and your son,

for God says your flour and oil won’t run out until the rains return.”

She stares at him for a few seconds, then lowers her eyes as a soft thought hits her heart:

“Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Her eyes sting.

“What if this really is God talking?

What if He’s testing me to put Him first?”

She sighs,

“Alright, Lord… I putting You first. Even though this ain’t making sense.”

She takes Elijah back to her home, bakes him a little loaf—her last—and hands it to him. He heartily accepts and proceeds to eat his meal.

“Well that’s that…” she sighs, resting slightly against the empty flour jar…

It didn’t budge.

Wuh wait… She jumps up to check the jar.

“Wait—how flour get back inside here?!”

Elijah laughs and nods as he continues eating.

In shock, she rushes over to the oil jug — it’s full to the brim.

“That there is the power of our God,” Elijah says, dabbing the corner of his mouth.

“How… how long… did you say?” she whispers, frozen in disbelief.

Elijah chuckles gently,

“Till the rains… return.”

The widow faints, as her son and Elijah rush to her side.

Sure enough, after that day — and every day until the rains returned — every time she scooped flour, God added more; every time she poured oil, He refilled. (1 Kings 17:8–24)

My friend, our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow — He never changes.

He promises that if we put Him first, everything else will be added unto us. (Matthew 6:33; Hebrews 13:8)

He even says we should prove Him and see if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so large there won’t be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10–12)

Yes, my friend — put God first… and watch as God handles the rest.