MAKE ME A LITTLE CAKE FIRST -- Monday:
It is said of wicked king Ahab, "and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him" (1 Kgs 16:33). As a result, there was judgment from God in his day, and because of him. Through Elijah the Tishbite, God announced to Ahab that the heavens would dry up, giving neither rain nor dew for three and a half years (1 Kgs 17:1; Lk 4:25; James 5:17).
Immediately following Elijah's word to Ahab, the Lord told him to go "Eastward," hiding himself by the "brook Cherith," East of Jordan. There God would enable him to drink water from the brook. God also "commanded the ravens" to feed him there. Obediently, the ravens brought Elijah "bread and flesh" every morning and every evening (17:6). Ravens were birds of prey, and were among the unclean animals under the law (Lev 11:15ff). Yet they brought to Elijah what they would normally have eaten, depriving themselves of food in order to feed the prophet. This was contrary to their nature.
In the process of time, "the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land" 17:7). The Lord then announced to Elijah the next means through which he would be sustained. The prophet was to go to Zarephath and remain there. God said, "I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee" (17:9). Immediately Elijah arose and went to the city of Zarephath.
Upon entering the city, he found a certain woman gathering sticks. He asked her to bring him "a little water in a vessel," that he might drink. While she went to get the water, he called out to her, "Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand." At this point, a doleful message came back from the woman. She was herself in dire straits. "As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die" (17:10-12). Could this be the woman God had commanded to sustain him? Yes, it was!
Perceiving the situation, and in strong faith, the prophet told her not to fear, but continue in the preparation of a meal for her and her son. He then added, "but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son" (17:13). He then told her a word from the Lord. "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" (17:13-14). She did as he commanded, and they were all sustained throughout the famine (17:15-16).
The appointed provision for the widow and her son was with "FIRST" preparing a "little cake" for the servant of God. Her own need was deferred in order to minister to another–then adequate provision was realized. This is a principle of the Kingdom of God. "Give and it shall be given unto you" (Lk 6:36). Blessed is the person who sees the practicality of that counsel.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask for grace to think of others before I think of myself.