“Go Back and Check Again”
- The text says Elijah is dealing with some issues of his own. He’s on a journey. He’s in a tough place, brook dries up, no food – and the Lord instructs him to go to Zarephath. The Lord said he commanded/directed a woman to supply him with food, but when he gets to the city gate – he sees a woman gathering sticks.
- Text doesn’t say how long the woman has been there, how long she has been in her situation or why she’s a widow; doesn’t say what happened to her husband - nothing just that she is a widow gathering sticks. Elijah notices her.
Point #1 – God is singling you out! God is seeing about you. He knows what you’re going through. He knows the journey you are on. He knows your struggles and pains! He knows your desires! He knows the questions you ask! God is here to see about you today! God has not forgotten about you! Go back and check again!
- If we are honest, some of us are just one strand away from wanting to let go, throw in the towel, give it all up – but God is saying I’m sending the help you need! I’m here to see about you.
- The place that Elijah is sent to is Zarephath. This woman lives in Zarephath. Zarephath is a Hebrew verb that literally means smelting place or melting place. It’s a crucible, literally meaning to melt down. Some of you may feel like you’re living in a melting place right now. Every time you turn around it’s always something, you take 5 steps forward and it feels you get knocked back 10 – but on our journey, sometimes these places are designed to further refine you. Sometimes the edge of your next blessing will often be in the place of your greatest frustration! Every struggle you face today is developing the strength you’ll need tomorrow!
- This woman woke up every morning to survey her situation and she made up in her mind that this is it – but the text reminds us that your reality is not God’s reality! God always has another move! Go back and check again!
Point #2 – Sometimes our breakthrough requires sacrifice and obedience! She was over it! She had enough! It was the last straw! And it’s Elijah who speaks to her emotional state by saying, “Don’t be afraid.”
- Elijah can discern there is something wrong. Whether it was her overall situation with her son and being left by herself (in those days - the culture was very different, especially for a woman). Or simply the request from a man she doesn’t know. Elijah is asking her to make a piece of bread and she knows what she has. She knows where’s she lacking.
- “Don’t be afraid” speaks to her emotional state. With everything she’s dealing with and trying to analyze and figure out – she is afraid. And many of us have been in that same position numerous times! We underestimate our value by what we see, by what we have calculated for ourselves. We can stay stagnant in that state and never move simply because of fear of the unknown!
- (ILLUSTRATION) - No matter what I do to it, the value of the bill still remains. God is saying no matter what comes, no matter what goes – you may be on your journey and don’t have all the answers, but Don’t be afraid because you have value. You are child of the living God! Go back and check again!
- We can also be afraid because God sent the help, but the help didn’t come in the right package! God send help, the help asked her to do something out of the ordinary, out of what seemed like lack to her, that would lead to the blessing she needed! Sometimes your blessing is waiting for you to do something first, to give up something first in order to receive!
- Augustine once said, “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.”
- Our obedience precedes God’s provision. If we are obedient, follow the instructions, have faith and sacrifice it – God will multiply it! Wherever you think you are lacking, God will use what you have left! It doesn’t matter what you think you have, if you are obedient and sacrifice – God will use what you have left! Go back and check again!
- Point #3: Believe the Word of the Lord! In your situation, with what you’re dealing with and what you’re going through on your journey – BELIEVE THE WORD OF THE LORD! Elijah tells her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and make me a piece of bread, then go back and make one for you and your son. The Lord says, Your flour and oil will never run dry!”
- Elijah knew the God he talked about. He had faith in the God he served. Not only did he believe the word of the Lord, but he spoke it. You have to speak the word!
- (ILLUSTRATION) – My friend Alexa. But one thing with Alexa, in order for her to work, she has to be connected to the power source! And then I have to speak what I KNOW she is able to provide for me!
- We are children of the most-high God! We can stand on the word of the Lord and believe what He said – “I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ!” “I can do all things which strengthens me.” “I am a fearfully and wonderfully made.” “…surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!” Believe the word of the Lord. Regardless of your journey, regardless of your situation, believe the word of the Lord – you will live and not die! You will not run dry! Go back and check again! When you feel faithless, remind yourself that God is faithful – Go back and check again! When you feel discouraged, remind yourself that God is the ultimate encourager – Go back and check again! When you feel like you’re under attack, remind yourself that God is your present help in the time of trouble – Go back and check again! When you feel powerless, remind yourself that God is your strength and your peace – Go back and check again!
1 Kings 17:7-16 (NIV)
7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephathin the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”