The Obedience that Changes Everything
Author: Ayodeji Oludapo
Date: December 24, 2024
Scripture: "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." - 1 Kings 17: 15 - 16 (NIV)
Devotional Thoughts
When God sent Elisha to the widow of Zerephath, He asked her for a meal. But this was no ordinary meal. It was the last meal the widow had planned to make for herself and her son before they died from starvation. The widow's initial thought must have been, "What a greedy man this prophet is! How can he ask for the last thing I have?" But Elisha's request was not driven by selfishness; it was driven by faith.
Despite the difficulty of the request, the widow obeyed. She made the last meal for Elisha, and in doing so, she demonstrated a courage that would change everything. You see, obedience to God's instructions often requires us to go against our natural instincts and logic. It requires us to trust in His goodness and provision, even when we can't see how things will work out.
The widow's obedience led to a miraculous multiplication of her oil and flour, which sustained her and her son throughout the famine. Her obedience changed the course of her life and the life of her son.
I remember a friend who was called to leave a high-paying job to pursue a ministry in a rural area. It didn't make sense logically; the pay was significantly lower, and the work was much harder. But my friend obeyed, trusting that God had called him to this new path. Today, he is seeing lives transformed and communities impacted in ways he never could have imagined.
Practical Reflections
Is God calling you to do something difficult, something that doesn't make sense in the natural?
Are you being asked to surrender something precious, something you can't imagine living without? Remember the widow of Zerephath. Remember that God's instructions often require us to take a step of faith, to trust in His goodness and provision.
Closing Thoughts
Obedience to God's instructions can be difficult, but it is always worth it. When we choose to obey, even when it doesn't make sense, we open ourselves up to the miraculous. We open ourselves up to a life of purpose and meaning.
So, I ask you today: Is God calling you to do something difficult? Take a step of faith. Trust in His goodness and provision. Remember the widow of Zerephath, and remember that obedience can change everything.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the example of the widow of Zerephath. Help me to trust in Your goodness and provision, even when I can't see how things will work out. Give me the strength to take a step of faith, to obey Your instructions, no matter how difficult they may be. I pray that I will be willing to surrender everything to You, trusting that You will provide and sustain me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.