The prophet Elijah was pursued by Jezebel who had vowed to kill him. Hopeless, fearful, and on the run, he was sent by God to find a widow, in Zarephath, whom God had instructed to feed him. But, when Elijah arrived, he found the widow also in a state of hopelessness and fear. Amid a famine, she had run out of food, and she was in the process of fixing a last meal for herself and her son. With only a days’ worth of flour and oil remaining, she was preparing for death. Despite the circumstances, Elijah, in obedience to God, asked her for a meal.

As the woman was barely holding on, God required one more step of obedience. For while the widow was planning for death, God had a different plan. In obedience, the woman made Elijah a meal with the last of her food; and to her surprise, the next day she found her jars filled with another days’ worth of flour and oil. God continued to provide for them each day until the famine had ended. God’s ultimate plan was to be their provider. He wants each of us to know that He is our provider, too—not only when things are good, but when things seem impossibly bleak. He never fails to supply all of our needs.