In the biography of the prophet Elijah is found the record of a widow in the Phoenician village of Zarephath. The Lord used this woman in an important way to shelter His prophet during a time of drought and danger. There are several vital lessons that widows today can learn from her life and testimony.

Never lose hope

“And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks” (I Kings 17:10). When Elijah met this woman, she was gathering kindling. In spite of her hunger, in spite of the drought, in spite of her obvious poverty, this widow had not given up hope. She was not simply sitting inside her house and waiting to die. As long as God gave her strength, she was going to start a fire and make one more meal for her son. It is very easy for widows to become discouraged and simply give up on life. This woman did not lose hope.

Prioritize the Lord’s work over personal comfort

Elijah approached her and then made a series of requests that would have called upon this widow to make a great personal sacrifice. The first request was relatively easy: “Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink” (I Kings 17:10). The second request was a little more difficult. “Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand” (I Kings 17:11). However, at this second request from the prophet, the woman protested. After all, she told him, she had only “an handful of meal” and “a little oil in a cruse” to eke out one last scanty meal for herself and her son (verse 12). 

Elijah responded. He promised that, according to I Kings 17:13, if she would “Fear not” and “make me thereof a little cake first,” then the Lord would meet her needs. Many widows find it very challenging to manage their finances, to tithe, to give to the cause of global missions, and to support works of charity. But God calls us all to seek first His Kingdom. A widow could seek wise counsel from Godly men who are aware of her needs, while they also seek to encourage her to lay up eternal treasure.

Trust the Lord to provide for daily needs

Elijah gave God’s promise of provision. “For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth” (I Kings 17:14). As the woman obeyed, the Lord provided. It is significant that God did not fill her barrel to the brim! Nor did He immediately top off her small vessel of oil. But every day there was always just a little more at the bottom of both the barrel and the cruse to meet her daily need. 

God may not supply all of our needs in one dramatic display of power. This is why Jesus taught us to pray that our Heavenly Father would give us each day our “daily bread.” As this widow of Zarephath trusted and obeyed, her barrel never failed and her cruse was never dry. There was always enough for one more day!

Thank God for every good and perfect gift

So often when we give to God, we realize that we are receiving far more than we are giving. Some time later, the widow’s son became sick and died. Elijah asked the Lord to raise the boy from the dead. Remember: according to the record of Scripture, someone rising from the dead never before had happened in the history of the world! Yet, the prophet cried out to God for the boy’s life, and God heard and answered. Soon Elijah returned to the widow with the triumphant news, “See, thy son liveth” (I Kings 17:23). Indeed, seeing her once-dead son alive again, the grateful widow responded, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth” (I Kings 17:24).