Story: A handful of flour

Scripture references: 1 Kings 17, Luke 4:24-27

The woman walked slowly towards the city gates, shading her eyes from the burning sun. The ground was cracked with drought; not a single leaf or blade of grass remained. In her hand were two twigs, just enough to make one small fire.

By the city gate sat an old man, hunched over against a rock. She shuddered and turned her head away, pulling her headscarf a little tighter to block him from view.

“I ought to be used to such sights,” she muttered. Ever since the famine began, she had seen so many people grow weak and die. Even her little son Zidon* lay listless at home, weak from lack of food. And she only had enough flour and oil to make one last meal. After that … the famine would take them too.

As she walked past, a husky voice spoke, “Woman, fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”

She stopped. The old man was alive, his eyes bright despite his weak voice. He wasn’t from around here; he wore the robes of an Israelite, a follower of the Lord God of Israel.

The same God she had been praying to. The one who didn’t seem to hear. Maybe he only heard the prayers of Israelites, and not the prayers of Sidonions like herself.

She hesitated. She had just a little water, carefully hoarded after the city wells dried up. There was none to spare. But this aged man was a follower of the Lord God. And she and Zidon would die anyway without food.

She nodded. “I will fetch some water.”

The man called after her, “Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.”

Bread? Her voice trembled. “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.”

The old man pulled himself upright, leaning heavily on his staff. “Fear not,” he said firmly, “Go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.”

“You don’t understand,” she said tearfully. “There is no food left in the city.”

The man’s eyes focused on hers. “Fear not,” he repeated, “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.”

Was this man crazy? Had the heat and lack of food affected his brain? Whoever heard of flour never running out? Who ever heard of oil that would refill itself?

But his voice was full of confidence. Of faith. This was a man who believed in the Lord God.

“Who are you?” she asked breathlessly.

“My name is Elijah,” he said.

Her breath caught. “I’ve heard of you,” she said. “We heard that your Lord God brought this famine because Ahab king of Israel disobeyed Him. We heard you prayed that it wouldn’t rain, and God listened to you and stopped the rain. We’ve heard your God answers prayer.”

“He does.”

Had God heard her prayers? Was this His answer?

“Come,” she said simply. When they reached her house, Zidon lay listless on the mat where she had left him. She lit a tiny fire. With trembling hands, she moulded the last of her flour and oil into a small cake of bread which she cooked and gave to the man of God.

Elijah thanked her gently. “Now go and make a cake for yourself and your son.”

She pressed her hands tightly together. Lord, you answer prayer! she whispered. She peered into the empty flour barrel. And gasped.

The barrel was full to the brim. She reached for the oil cruse. It was so full she almost spilt it.

She sank to her knees, tears raining down her cheeks.

“Mummy,” Zidon whispered weakly, “I’m hungry.”

She hugged him, laughing through her tears. “Oh Zidon, the Lord God of Israel is good! He answers prayer!”

Over the head of her son, Elijah smiled at her. “Blessed are those who trust the Lord. Those who give everything they have to the Lord will never lack.”

She never did.

Author’s note

What else does the Bible tell us about this unnamed widow?

1 Kings 17 continues her story: Elijah stayed with her for two years, during which the oil and meal never ran out. When her son fell sick and died, God miraculously raised him from the dead in answer to Elijah’s prayers. Jesus Christ also spoke of her, saying in Luke 4:24-27, “And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias [Elijah], when … great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.”

What was this woman like? (Or, why do I think the extra details I added fit the story?)

I don’t claim the added details are historically accurate, but I believe they don’t contradict Scripture, and reflect what the Bible reveals about her character.

She was a woman of faith.

When the Jews refused to believe He was the Messiah, Jesus shared two stories involving Gentiles—Naaman and this widow—to show that God rewards genuine faith in Him (Luke 4:24-27). Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

She gave everything she had.

Note the order of Elijah’s request: “make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.” God would do the miraculous—but only after the woman had first, in faith, given all that she had. Her sacrifice reminds us of another poor widow, hundreds of years later, who gave two small coins to the temple. Jesus said of this second widow, “Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all” (Luke 21:3-4).

God sees and rewards faith. When we give all we have to the Lord, “God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).