“As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 1 Kings 17:12

This Sunday we’re talking about how our faith relates to our giving. This topic reminded about the faith of a widow from the Old Testament, who Elijah basically asked for her last loaf of bread. I know that Elijah was a man of God, but sometimes I can think, “C’mon Elijah, really? You’re going to take this starving woman’s last meal?” Obviously, I’m quickly reminded that Elijah went on to say, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 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 gives rain on the land.’ ” 1 Kings 17:12

She decided to trust God and she gave the last of her supplies to feed Elijah and, sure enough, God provided for her and her son for the next three and a half years during that drought, and the rest is history. As a matter of fact, did you know that centuries later Jesus actually mentioned this foreign widow and her faith while contrasting it to the unbelief he found in his hometown of Nazareth. In Luke 4:25-26 Jesus said, “I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.”

Her faith and giving are a great example to us all and this Sunday we are going to look at “The Blessing of Faith and Giving!” We’ll also examine 4 Faith-Giving Promises from the Bible to encourage our hearts and hopefully spur us on to love and good deeds, not only during this Christmas season, but also every day!

Have a Great Week and Bless on!

—Rich