Living in Zarephath (Perth Conf)

1 Kings 17:8-16

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

12 So she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, 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."

13 And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 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.'"

15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 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.  NKJV

Bring water – that was in her ability

Bring bread – that challenged her ability

All she had was a handful of flour in a bin – deep place

And a little oil in jar

            She identified not just supply, but quantity – small

"Me and my son will eat and die"

            Giving up on the future

Elijah knew she was the one! 

            We would look for the one who had it to give - a rich widow

            Elijah knew that God was looking for someone to give to

“Do not fear.  Do it.”

            Bring it to me first

Then make some for you and your son

Can you imagine her walk to her house?

When she and her husband moved to Zarephath, came with hope and expectation

• ·         Now disappointed
• ·         Not just widowed, but in famine – it couldn’t get any worse

 All I have is a little bit of flour…

Every time I reach into that Deep Place I’m reminded of how full it used to be

            She had to confront the emptiness

She had to deal with loss and pain

There’s an order to the miracle

            “Bless, Break, THEN Give”

God has been preparing to give you, by emptying you out

Jer 48:11.  "Moab has been at ease from his youth; He has settled on his dregs,

And has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivity.

Therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent has not changed.

• You need to be poured out, because you still smell like yourself

God put her (and you) in Zarephath, which means "refinery"

            Let you get to your last

When you get to your end, some things don’t matter anymore

Not worried about what people say anymore – or your image

            There was a time I wouldn’t pick up sticks in public

Corrected my priorities

All I care about now is my son – the future

All I have is a little bit of flour…

Don’t make it and divide it

            Do for God first…

Go back to that deep place that reminds you of your emptiness and loss

            Disappointment, betrayal, abuse, wounds

Reach in and recover your hopes and dreams

            Recover your future

Reach in – all you need is a handful

Heb 4:2.  The word did not profit them, not being mixed with faith