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.’” -1 Kings 17:14, NIV
“You’ll have food and water to make some bread for me.”
Not a problem, she said as she raced to pick up her jar- and now how I said, “jar”. That’s a singular, not a plural. There could have been more, there could have been less. More full jars could’ve been a total waste. Fewer jars and the three of them would starve. Just like Heaven’s manna a couple scores ago. That should’ve been enough o rest assured in a deep, deep sleep.
Only it wasn’t. She tossed and turned, saying to herself if her last meal was truly her last. Every night, she closed her eyes and saw daunting skeletons- daunting, malnourished versions of the prophet and her family. They taunted her, laughed at her because someone who went in the Name mooched his nourishment at her expense. And every night she left rivers of sweat in her bed as she leaped forward and checked her son, checked the prophet, and checked her pantry to see if she had no food left.
Same jars. Same flour. Still weighed the same. Nothing’s changed. And there was a sigh of relief.
Then the next day, still full. And the next day, still full. And the next day, and the next day and the next…There was still a jar of flour, a jar of water, and a jar of oil. Her son died- she felt that sting- and there was still provision for all of them. God revived him, and the supplies were longing to be prepared. One day after the next, God was still good enough to provide for His anointer’s keeper.
Until rain fell once again.
When the widow looked at her pantry in the pouring rain, she saw…nothing. Not even jars. Not even jugs. It was all empty, like the first time. She wanted to cry. Oh, she wanted to cry! But she had to be strong, for her child was watching.
The rain stopped. She quickly ran outside. Nothing, nothing much; only vapors sweat the air. But she saw something most surprising: An olive branch sprouts. A well is filled with water. Wheat is being processed. And on the side, a juicy young lamb.