新的命令、新的環境、新的考驗
列王紀上十七章7至15節
7過了些日子，溪水就乾了，因為雨沒有下在地上。
8耶和華的話臨到他說：
9你起身往西頓的撒勒法(撒勒法與路四26同)去，住在那裡；我已吩咐那裡的一個寡婦供養你。
10以利亞就起身往撒勒法去。到了城門，見有一個寡婦在那裡撿柴，以利亞呼叫他說：求你用器皿取點水來給我喝。
11他去取水的時候，以利亞又呼叫他說：也求你拿點餅來給我！
12他說：我指著永生耶和華─你的神起誓，我沒有餅，罈內只有一把麵，瓶裡只有一點油；我現在找兩根柴，回家要為我和我兒子做餅；我們吃了，死就死罷！
13以利亞對他說：不要懼怕！可以照你所說的去做罷！只要先為我做一個小餅拿來給我，然後為你和你的兒子做餅。
14因為耶和華─以色列的神如此說：罈內的麵必不減少，瓶裡的油必不缺短，直到耶和華使雨降在地上的日子。
15婦人就照以利亞的話去行。他和他家中的人，並以利亞，吃了許多日子。
信息分享
神會在那裡保護他嗎？在一個異邦的國家，神如何供應他呢？但神卻向他保證說：「我已吩咐那裡的一個寡婦來供養你。」於是，以利亞便聽從神的吩咐，步行六十多里前往神要他去的地方。
在以利亞的心目中，是否預期會有一位住在大屋、有僕人差使的有錢寡婦來接待他呢？可是，以利亞所找到的，卻是一位幾乎連活命的指望也沒有的窮寡婦。這位寡婦顯然是認識神的，因為她知道以利亞是屬於永生耶和華神的僕人。然而，她此刻的眼目卻沒有仰望神，反而只呆望著家中那些空罈和空瓶。
我們可以把以利亞對寡婦說的話意譯如下：「你只要聽我的吩咐去做，你只要信任我和信靠我的神，你和你的兒子便會源源不絕地得到神的供應，獲得足夠的食物。」事實也真的這樣發生。
神以非常奇妙的方式來供應他們。神並非一次性地賜予他們一年的需用；反之，罈內的麪和瓶內的油，都正好足夠他們三人每天的所需。他們每天都有神的新鮮供應。神就是這樣，要我們每天經歷祂的新恩，但祂的賜予總是足夠我們每天的需用。
以利亞在那裡住了多久呢？足足有兩年，超過七百二十天。他身在何方呢？敵人的領土上。他住在誰家呢？一無所有的窮寡婦家！神有沒有實踐祂的承諾？當然有，而且是每天都實踐。神今天也一樣嗎？絕對是，他永不改變。不管你身在何處，祂都應許與你同在，直到永永遠遠。
A NEW COMMAND - NEW CIRCUMSTANCES - NEW TEST
1 Kings 17:7-15
7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.”
11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
12 So she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, 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.”
13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.
14 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.’”
15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.
Message
What would God tell Elijah to do next? God waited until the brook had run dry and then he spoke, "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there." But that was in the country where Jezebel's father was king and Elijah wasn't very popular with Jezebel or Ahab.
Could God protect him there? How would God provide for him in a strange country? "I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So Elijah started walking the 60 or more miles, straight across Ahab's kingdom.
Did Elijah expect a rich widow, a large house and servants? He found a younger woman, who had given up hope. She must have known God, as she recognized Elijah belonged to him. But her eyes were not on God; they were on the almost empty barrel and the bottle of oil.
How can we paraphrase what Elijah told her to do? "If you will do what I am asking you, if you will trust me and trust my God, you will have a lasting supply for both you and your boy." That is exactly what happened.
The miracle of supply was amazing. God did not send sufficient for a year all at once. Every day what the three of them used was there. Every new day saw the same amount replaced in the barrel and the jar. Living with God is a day by day experience, but He is always sufficient for each new day.
How long was Elijah there? Two years. More than 720 days. Where was he? In enemy's territory. Whose home was he in? A widow's. One who had almost nothing. Did God fulfill His promise?
Yes, everyday. Is He still the same today? Yes, He is. No matter your circumstances, He has promised to be with you, always, even to the end of the age.