Have you heard the story of the widow and her son who gave the last of their food to the prophet Elijah? He found her gathering sticks to cook the last of their food before resigning to starvation and death. When the prophet asked her to cook for him and serve him first, she went to her flour jar and used the last of her flour. She went to her oil vase and used the last of her oil. She gave the food to Elijah and he told her to go and make some for her and her son. The flour jar had flour again and the vase had oil. They never ran out of food until the famine was over. Then one day her son got sick and died. God, through Elijah, raised the boy back to life.
Elijah was a real person but he was also a symbol of Christ. Christ multiplied the two fishes and five loaves. Christ also raised a widow’s son to life. As great of a prophet as Elijah was, he still had issues with anxiety and depression. His example can encourage us when we struggle with emotion. God was faithful to Elijah and God will be faithful with us. When our spirit is uneasy and we feel life is shaking us hard, let us draw near to the God that fed Elijah, the widow and her son. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
