Then the word of the LORD came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:8-16 ESV
God is watching over me
The LORD himself watches over you! …The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:5,8 NLT
“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 1 Kings 17:9 ESV
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watchover it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 1 Peter 5:2 NLT
God is offering me his peace
And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear…” 1 Kings 17:13 ESV
I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NLT
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peaceat all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 NLT
God is challenging me to trust him
And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 1 Kings 17:10-12 ESV
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. John 12:44 NLT
So if you are suffering… keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. 1 Peter 4:19 NLT
God is providing for my daily needs
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NLT
Give us each day the food we need. Luke 11:3 NLT
And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:13-16 ESV
God is calling me to care for others
“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 1 Kings 17:9 ESV
A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39 NLT
My Notes
Personal Reflection Guide
Find a quiet place where you can spend a few moments alone with God. Take a few moments and breathe in and out slowly, concentrating on your breath. As you breathe out, allow your mind and heart to release the last few weeks, then allow yourself to slowly let go of the future too. As you breathe in, center yourself in the present moment. Know that God is here with you in this space and that Jesus offers you peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you,” (John 14:27a NIV). Reflect for a moment on Jesus’ life: it was not always easy or predictable. Yet, he was filled with peace, because he trusted his father. Where in your life right now do you struggle to trust God and feel his peace? Talk to God about these things and if you are willing to let go of them for the moment, give them to God. As you hand these over, ask God to give you the peace that Jesus offers you, and to build in you that same trust. In the next few days, as different anxieties and worries hit you, pause in the moment to repeat this process of giving these things to God and receiving the gifts of his trust and peace.
Discussion Questions
- What stood out to you in your personal Bible reading time this week? What have you learned about God or yourself so far? (If you’ve fallen behind in your readings, encourage each other to use the extra free time in this season to catch up.)
- Read Psalm 121:1-8. What feelings does this passage surface in you, knowing that you are seen by God and that he cares deeply for you?
- Read John 14:27. Where do you most need to feel Jesus’ gift of peace to help you overcome trouble or fear?
- Read 1 Peter 4:19. Where do you think that God is challenging you to trust him right now?
- Read Philippians 4:18-19. In which real ways do you see God providing, not for your wants, but for your daily needs?
- Read Matthew 22:36-38. As you practice safe social distancing, what are some of the practical ways that you can still love and serve your neighbors?
