Note: On Tuesdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.
She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days.The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:15-16, NRSVCE)
It was a miracle, really, the way the widow’s bit of flour and oil never went empty, even after a year. She had been quite prepared for her and her son to die of starvation, then Elijah came on the scene. The widow could have turned out Elijah when he talked about God’s prophecy. But she didn’t. Elijah could have assumed it was another widow with whom he was to connect. But he didn’t. And so, that light he brought to the little home in Zarephath shone brighter and brighter as the truth in his words was borne out.
Light. The world never seems to have enough of it. Succumbing to the darkness takes so much less effort than looking for light, let alone following it. Like the widow, we unconsciously prepare to die of starvation. We see ourselves helpless and hopeless against the challenges of the world. But when we believe that, we diminish ourselves and God.
Light. It comes in quiet ways sometimes, the gentle urging that you join friends in an online prayer group, the unplanned donation you make to a charity just because, the restraint in not returning fire for fire on social media.
Light. When you let it shine, it’s a miracle, really.
