Worship May 11, 2025

 

Summary

The story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath invites us into a moment of deep desperation and scarcity. Both Elijah and the widow are at the end of their resources—he, fleeing for his life and relying on a dried-up brook, and she, preparing what she believes will be the last meal for herself and her son. Into this bleakness, God’s word comes not with immediate abundance, but with a call to trust and to give, even when it seems impossible. Elijah’s request for a small biscuit before the widow feeds herself and her son is a radical act of faith, asking her to believe in provision when all she can see is lack.

This narrative challenges the way we think about God’s provision. It is not about prosperity or excess, but about daily bread—just enough for each day. The miracle is not in a sudden overflow, but in the quiet, persistent sufficiency that meets each day’s need. Like the Israelites with manna in the wilderness, the widow and her household receive exactly what they need, no more and no less. This is a call to trust God not only for the big, dramatic miracles, but for the small, daily ones: the moments of rest, the brief encouragement, the courage to speak up, the laughter in chaos, the support that arrives just in time.

We are invited to see our own lives in this story. Often, we feel our resources—energy, hope, money, time—are running low. Yet, again and again, God shows up through community, compassion, and courage, multiplying what little we have when we pour it out for others. The challenge is to keep pouring, to keep making space at the table, to keep trusting that God is not done with us yet. Our jars are not empty. God’s provision continues, often in ways that are quiet and unassuming, but always sufficient for the day.

Key Takeaways

- God’s provision is often “just enough,” not an abundance. The widow’s jar of flour and oil never overflowed, but neither did they run out. This teaches us to look for God’s faithfulness in the daily sufficiency, rather than waiting for a dramatic surplus. Trusting in “just enough” requires a deeper faith than trusting in plenty. [08:36]

- Faith sometimes looks like obedience in the face of exhaustion or desperation. The widow’s act of making a biscuit for Elijah may have been born out of faith, or simply out of having nothing left to lose, but God honored her willingness to act. Even when our faith feels small or weary, God can work through it. [07:38]

- Scarcity is a powerful narrative in our world, but God invites us to live with an assumption of provision. Elijah’s words counter the widow’s resignation with a promise: “Fear not.” In a culture that often tells us there isn’t enough, God calls us to trust that there will be enough for today, and to resist the fear that drives us to hoard or despair. [06:44]

- God’s miracles are often quiet and daily, not flashy or immediate. Like manna in the wilderness or the widow’s oil, God’s provision comes in the form of daily bread—enough for today, not for the week or the year. This requires us to trust God with the small things, and to recognize the miracle in the ordinary. [09:40]

- When we pour out what little we have for others, God multiplies it. Whether it’s a moment of rest, a small paycheck, a word of encouragement, or a simple act of service, God uses our “just enough” to bless others and to sustain us. In giving, we receive; in feeding, we are fed; in scarcity, God’s presence is multiplied. [10:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Scripture Reading: Elijah and the Widow
[02:21] - God’s Promise Fulfilled
[02:39] - Personal Story: God’s Provision in Seminary
[04:32] - Not Prosperity, But Provision
[05:01] - Desperation and Scarcity
[06:08] - Elijah’s Radical Request
[06:44] - Scarcity vs. Faith
[07:38] - The Widow’s Obedience
[08:20] - God’s Provision: Just Enough
[09:40] - Daily Bread and Manna
[10:41] - Trusting God with the Little
[11:56] - Community and Multiplication
[12:15] - Fear Not: Living in Trust
[13:07] - God Shows Up Through Community
[13:45] - Living Into Purpose
[14:29] - Invitation and Closing

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Story of Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

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### Bible Reading

- 1 Kings 17:8-16 (The story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath)

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### Observation Questions

1. What situation are Elijah and the widow both facing when they meet in Zarephath? What does the widow say about her resources? ([01:24])
2. What does Elijah ask the widow to do before she feeds herself and her son? How does she respond? ([01:44])
3. According to the story, what happens to the jar of flour and the bottle of oil after the widow obeys Elijah’s request? ([02:21])
4. In the sermon, what are some examples given of “just enough” provision in everyday life? ([10:55])

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Elijah asks the widow to make him a biscuit first, even though she has so little? What might this say about faith and trust? ([06:08])
2. The sermon says God’s provision is often “just enough” and not abundance. How does this challenge the way people usually think about God’s blessings? ([08:36])
3. The phrase “Fear not” is spoken to the widow. What does it mean to live with faith instead of fear, especially when resources are low? ([07:18])
4. The sermon compares the widow’s daily provision to the manna in the wilderness. What is the significance of God providing daily rather than all at once? ([09:40])

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### Application Questions

1. Can you think of a time in your life when you felt like you only had “just enough” to get by—whether it was money, energy, hope, or something else? How did you see God’s provision in that situation? ([08:52])
2. The widow’s act of obedience may have come from faith, exhaustion, or having nothing left to lose. When you are tired or discouraged, what helps you keep trusting or acting in faith? ([07:38])
3. The sermon talks about the temptation to believe in scarcity—that there isn’t enough to go around. In what areas of your life do you most often feel this fear? How does it affect your decisions? ([06:44])
4. God’s miracles are described as quiet and daily, not flashy. What are some “ordinary” ways you have experienced God’s care recently? ([09:40])
5. The sermon encourages us to keep “pouring out” what little we have for others. Is there a specific way you feel called to serve or give, even if it feels small? ([10:41])
6. When have you seen God multiply your small acts of kindness, time, or resources to bless others or yourself? ([11:56])
7. The message says, “Our jars are not empty. God’s provision continues.” What is one area where you need to trust that God is not done with you yet? ([13:45])

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Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God’s Provision in Desperate Times
When we find ourselves in moments of deep need or fear, it can feel as though hope is running out and resources are scarce. Yet, even in the bleakest circumstances, God invites us to trust that He will provide what we need, just as He did for Elijah and the widow at Zarephath. This trust is not about expecting abundance or prosperity, but about believing that God sees our situation and will meet us with just enough for today. When we open our hands in faith, even when it feels risky or impossible, we make space for God’s quiet miracles to unfold in our lives. [05:49]

1 Kings 17:8-16 (The Message)
Eventually the brook dried up because of the drought. Then God spoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village, he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?” She said, “I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we’ll die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.’” And she went right off and did it, just as Elijah asked. And it turned out, as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty: God’s promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it.

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel most desperate or afraid right now, and how can you invite God to meet you with just enough for today?


Day 2: God’s Provision Is Often “Just Enough”
God’s provision rarely comes in the form of overwhelming abundance; more often, it is the quiet, daily miracle of having just what we need to get through. Like the widow’s jar that never emptied, God gives us daily bread—enough hope, enough strength, enough courage for each day. This teaches us to rely on God moment by moment, rather than storing up for ourselves or demanding more than we need. In the smallness and simplicity of “just enough,” we learn to recognize God’s faithfulness and presence in our ordinary lives. [08:36]

Matthew 6:11 (ESV)
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are longing for more, and how might you practice gratitude for the “just enough” God is providing today?


Day 3: Faith in the Face of Scarcity
When everything around us points to lack and limitation, it is easy to fall into a mindset of scarcity and fear. Yet, God calls us to a different way—to trust that there is enough, even when our eyes see only emptiness. The story of Elijah and the widow reminds us that faith sometimes means acting in hope, even when it doesn’t make sense, and believing that God can multiply what little we have when we offer it up. This faith is not about denying reality, but about choosing to see God’s possibilities in the midst of our limitations. [06:44]

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Where do you see scarcity in your life or community, and what is one small act of faith you can take today to trust God’s provision?


Day 4: God’s Presence Is Multiplied in Community
God often shows up through the compassion, courage, and generosity of others. When we pour out what little we have for the sake of others—whether it’s time, resources, or encouragement—God multiplies it in ways we could not imagine. In community, we find that our collective “jars” are not empty, and together we can do more than we could alone. Even when we feel depleted, God’s presence is made real through acts of kindness, support, and shared purpose. [13:07]

Acts 2:44-47 (ESV)
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Reflection: How can you offer what you have—no matter how small—to bless someone in your community this week?


Day 5: Courage to Keep Pouring and Trusting
It takes courage to keep pouring out what little we have, especially when we are unsure if it will be enough. Yet, God invites us to keep trusting, to keep making space at the table, and to believe that He is not done with us yet. Even when our energy is low or our dreams feel distant, God’s purpose continues through our willingness to show up and share. The promise is that as long as we keep trusting and giving, our jar will not run empty, and God’s story will keep unfolding in and through us. [13:45]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Reflection: What is one area where you feel like giving up, and how can you take one courageous step to keep pouring out and trusting God today?