Readings for today: 1 Kings 17-19
What do you have in your hands? I was challenged by this question this week. I am currently spending time with pastors and ministry leaders from across the world. We are being hosted by an organization that does incredible things for the Kingdom. Their achievements are nothing short of miraculous. They specialize in going to hard places and doing the impossible in the name of Jesus. Their track record of success is impossible to ignore. Their growth is exponential as is their impact. And yet, they are some of the most humble people you’ll ever meet. They don’t pretend to have it all together. They don’t pretend to have it all figured out. They simply take what God puts in their hands and use it to serve the poor for His glory. They are often stretched beyond their resources. They often do not know how it will all work out. But they trust. They believe. They walk in faith. And God entrusts more of Himself and more of His resources to them as a result.
We see the same dynamic play out in the life of the widow from Zarephath. She is poor. Destitute. On the verge of starvation. When Elijah meets her, she is literally gathering firewood to prepare one final meal for herself and her son. But she is willing to trust. She believes Elijah enough to take him at his word. And she offers what little she has in service of God’s plan. What’s the result? Miraculous provision. “The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:16 NET)
What do you have in your hands? Perhaps you’re like the widow in Zarephath and it’s not much. You’re barely surviving. You’re living on the edge. Perhaps you’re like the organization I’m with. Though you may have rose from humble beginnings, you find yourself with access to all kinds of resources. Either way, the question is still the same. What do you have in your hands and how will you use it to serve others for the glory of God? Will you trust God enough to give everything away over and over again so you might experience His miraculous provision in your life? God is looking for trustworthy people to whom He can entrust the resources of heaven. Are you such a person? Are you becoming such a person?
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 20-21