MIGHTY MIRACLES FOLLOWSpeaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: Waiting leads to the manifestation of God’s glory through marvelous miracles. The river called Cherith began to dry up. God called Elijah and told, “Arise Elijah! Go to the hamlet called Zarephath. I have told concerning you to a widow there.” You might wonder, “Isn’t it enough that this prophet had already suffered by hiding near the banks of the river Cherith? Should he now step into the house of a widow for food?”
What does the Psalmist say about the widows? The Bible says, “The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow…” The Lord cares and feeds them. Therefore, during this testing time of waiting with patience the Lord told Elijah to join the family of that widow so that He might feed him also.
God taught him another wonderful lesson. God clearly shows that waiting is just a span of time that leads you towards witnessing marvelous miracles. The widow replied saying "I have 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."
The Spirit of God came upon Elijah and he said to her, "Do not fear….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." Elijah was purposely sent to Zarephath and particularly to the house of a widow to understand the fact that waiting leads to witnessing of a marvelous miracle.
A boy named Kanagaraj worked for a certain shoe company. He came along with his mother who lived in a remote village in the district of Tuticorin and earned her living by milking cows and selling the milk. She started shedding tears even as she uttered, “Sir! One after another my cows are dying.” Handing over a bottle of oil, “Please bless this oil. I will apply it on my cows and they will live” she said. Fervently I offered a prayer, blessed the oil and gave it to her.” She returned home and applied it on all her cows and God in His immense grace gave them life. That woman did not stop after being blessed but she also applied the oil even on her neighbours cows that were afflicted. Finally one day she found that the oil had all been used up. She wondered, “What would I do if something happens to my cows again? Where will I go for this oil?” With this thought in mind she went to sleep. The next day she found the bottle full of oil again. Praise God for His miracle.
Therefore do not be worried. God might make you wait in order to learn a lesson of witnessing marvelous miracles.
Alas! The only son of that widow passed away while Elijah the servant of God stayed at her home. You cannot imagine the agony and the unpleasant plight of both the widow and the servant of God. On the one hand the boy happens to be the only son to that widow while on the other hand, the servant of God is staying as a guest in the house of that widow when this incident takes place. The Bible says that Elijah cried out to God. Miraculously the soul of that boy came back to him. There is a purpose behind every action of God and the leading to learn that lesson is sometimes incomprehensible until the action is over.
Elijah’s eyes were just looking at the dead son of the widow but the eyes of the Lord looked at the entire cosmos. He could see the people outside drifting away from loving Him their Creator and have turned their ways to wickedness. They were dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) God wanted such people to witness His power and therefore He trained Elijah to understand the importance of waiting and know that it leads to manifestation of the glory of God through marvelous miracles.
At first, God made the oil and flour to keep coming even after being consumed. Secondly He brought back the soul that had left the body. God strengthened Elijah through these two miracles so much so that he set out and cried to God before a huge crowd and brought down fire from heaven for people to witness the power of God.
Today perhaps you are waiting patiently at the feet of God. Surely God will keep you as a source of blessing to those people who are in agony and therefore this testing time of ‘waiting’ is to be traversed for witnessing marvelous miracles that would follow. Therefore, do not be troubled.
Prayer
Loving Lord.
Help me to wait at Your feet. Thank You for reminding and making me understand through the training that You gave to Elijah the importance of waiting. I confess that waiting leads to manifestation of Your glory through marvelous miracles. Give me the patience to understand the lesson that You desire me to learn today. May I always be blessed and protected under Your mighty wings. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen |