Obedience in Times of Crisis

1 Kings 17:1-25 tells the story of two very different individuals brought together in the city of Zarephath; both facing deep despair. One was the prophet Elijah; the other, an unnamed widow of Zarephath.  

Elijah the prophet, had just confronted King Ahab over Israel’s idolatry, wickedness and unfaithfulness to God. Through Elijah, God declared that there would be no rain for years. Enraged, Ahab sought to kill Elijah, forcing him to flee at God’s command. First, the Lord led him to the brook Cherith, where ravens miraculously fed him, and he drank from the stream until it dried up.  

Then God instructed Elijah: “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” (v. 9) When Elijah arrived, he found the widow gathering sticks to prepare what she believed would be her last meal before she and her son starved to death. She was destitute, broken, yet God had ordained this divine encounter that would turn things around for her.  

Elijah called to her, asking for water and a piece of bread (vv. 10-11). The widow explained that she had only a handful of flour and a little oil left, just enough for one final meal. But Elijah responded with a bold promise: “Do not fear… For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’” (vv. 13-14)  

Miraculously, when the widow obeyed, “She and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.” (vv. 15-16)  

I want to draw your attention to Elijah’s humility; after standing boldly before King Ahab and not mincing his words while confronting him, he now relied on a poor widow in a pagan land for his sustenance. Yet he obeyed without hesitation.  

Likewise, the widow faced an agonising choice; to hold on to what she called her last meal or trust a stranger’s promise. Her unwavering obedience unlocked God’s provision.  

God still works in the same way today. In our darkest moments, God often calls us to step out in faith. When we obey, He orchestrates miracles beyond our understanding. As Philippians 2:13 reminds us, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Elijah remained in Sidon for over two years before returning to confront Ahab on Mount Carmel, where God sent fire from heaven, defeated Baal’s prophets, and ended the drought with a mighty storm. The widow’s act of faith was just the beginning of God’s greater plan for her life. 

Food for Thought: God uses crisis as a stage for His glory and invites us to trust and obey Him fully, even when the outcome seems impossible. 

God bless you,

O. Oluranti Orioke