Do you have a checklist? Did you know that God does? In many places in the Word we are able to see what God considers priorities for our lives. Today, continuing in the Old Testament, we will see His short checklist in the words of Elijah to the widow of Zarephath. Let's pick up the story found in I Kings 17.
A terrible drought had come upon the land. God instructed Elijah to go to Zarephath, and there a woman would take care of him. The moment he came through the gate of the city, he saw a woman gathering sticks. He called to her to bring him a drink of water and some bread. Ashamed that she could not fully oblige him, the woman told Elijah that she only had a little flour and a little oil. Her plan was to return home and make a small loaf of bread and share it with her son. She was sure that it would be their last meal.
Then Elijah, the man of God, spoke life into saying this to her, "Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son."
Now I don't know about you, but that would rub me the wrong way. Why would I use my last flour and oil to make a little bread for a stranger, leaving very little left for me and my only son? Usually, our flesh keeps us from wanting to put others first. Yet, the woman was obedient, likely because of what Elijah said next: "For thus says the Lord God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord send rain on the face of the earth.' "
Setting our flesh aside for a moment, let me ask you this. Did you catch the priority "checklist" in the Scripture? If you didn't, then here it is: First . . . and Afterward. It kind of want to hide from us, but there it is; simple, yet profound. Elijah asked the woman to take care of what belonged to God first. In this case, it was him, the messenger of God's words. And then afterward, she would be taken care of until the end of the drought and famine. This is God's blessing on the obedience she displayed. She would have flour and oil without end! Food to satisfy her hunger!
Is God's priority checklist any different for us? Of course not! He is unchanging! Do you hear Him calling to you saying, "Take care of what is Mine first, and then afterward you will be taken care of with My unlimited supply." How often we turn the priority list upside down! We want God's unlimited supply so we can give something back to Him. If our supply is limited, we declare that we have nothing left to give!
Setting our flesh aside for a moment, let me ask you this. Did you catch the priority "checklist" in the Scripture? If you didn't, then here it is: First . . . and Afterward. It kind of want to hide from us, but there it is; simple, yet profound. Elijah asked the woman to take care of what belonged to God first. In this case, it was him, the messenger of God's words. And then afterward, she would be taken care of until the end of the drought and famine. This is God's blessing on the obedience she displayed. She would have flour and oil without end! Food to satisfy her hunger!
Is God's priority checklist any different for us? Of course not! He is unchanging! Do you hear Him calling to you saying, "Take care of what is Mine first, and then afterward you will be taken care of with My unlimited supply." How often we turn the priority list upside down! We want God's unlimited supply so we can give something back to Him. If our supply is limited, we declare that we have nothing left to give!
No comments:
Post a Comment