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Sometimes we are waiting for some mind-blowing miracle to occur to be the answer to our prayers, when the truth is God uses people to bless people.  And sometimes people bless us with their wisdom, that gives us the directives which lead to life altering changes.  

In the 1 King chapter 17 there is a story of a woman who was down on her luck and had given up. She told Elijah, “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, so that we may eat it—and die.”

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.’”

Now let’s be honest from her perspective this likely didn’t seem like Elijah was there to bless her but to take advantage of her.  Here she is telling him, I only a little bit and he is telling her to feed him out of the little she has.  This doesn’t look like a blessing, this looks like an uncaring person taking advantage of someone and lying to do it.  Imagine how difficult it must be to phantom that the flour won’t be used up and the oil won't run dry. 

The woman likely thinking she really had nothing to lose at this time, the bible says  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.

God uses people to bless people, but we have to be willing to be blessed and also willing to be a blessing.  In the midst of the lowest point in this woman’s life, she shared what little she had, she set aside her immediate need and was willing to bless another again from what little she had.

Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. The woman, like most mothers, began to evaluate this situation a little differently when their child’s life is on the line.  The woman said to Elijah thinking this must all be a set up,  Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

Elijah then took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

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