Unexpected
“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
The Prophet Elijah was quite a strange man used by God to do extraordinary, unexpected things during the rule of King Ahab in Judah. God used Elijah through crazy circumstances to bring the Israelite people back to Him.
King Ahab would not serve the one true God and forsake his idol worship, so God brought a terrible drought upon the land of Judah for several years. God wanted to get everyone’s attention.
But in the midst of pain, famine and death, God did not forget about Elijah and instead fed him with food from ravens and water from a brook. But after the brook dried up, God told him to go to a poor widow’s house to find food and shelter. The widow was getting ready to make her last meal for she and her son when Elijah arrived on the scene and asked for food and water. How presumptuous right? I’m sure the widow probably thought that Elijah was extremely rude for asking to eat the last morsel of food she had, but God had a bigger plan.
Elijah told the widow that because of her obedience and kindness her jar of flour and jar of oil would not run dry until the drought ended. Her unexpected faith in an unexpected circumstance brought her an unexpected miracle.
Sometimes, we allow our overwhelming circumstances to cloud our vision and distract us from the miracles God wants to do in the midst of our pain and discouragement. He doesn’t need the most qualified person, high-tech gadgets or endless amounts of resources to complete his purpose; all He needs is a willing, obedient, faith-filled servant to open their hands and see Him do the unexpected.
Reflections
In what ways have you experienced the unexpected?
Who are the unexpected people that have changed your life?
What unexpected places have brought you closer to God?
