新的命令、新的环境、新的考验
列王纪上十七章7至15节
7过了些日子，溪水就干了，因为雨没有下在地上。
8耶和华的话临到他说：
9你起身往西顿的撒勒法(撒勒法与路四26同)去，住在那里；我已吩咐那里的一个寡妇供养你。
10以利亚就起身往撒勒法去。到了城门，见有一个寡妇在那里捡柴，以利亚呼叫他说：求你用器皿取点水来给我喝。
11他去取水的时候，以利亚又呼叫他说：也求你拿点饼来给我！
12他说：我指着永生耶和华─你的神起誓，我没有饼，坛内只有一把面，瓶里只有一点油；我现在找两根柴，回家要为我和我儿子做饼；我们吃了，死就死罢！
13以利亚对他说：不要惧怕！可以照你所说的去做罢！只要先为我做一个小饼拿来给我，然后为你和你的儿子做饼。
14因为耶和华─以色列的神如此说：坛内的面必不减少，瓶里的油必不缺短，直到耶和华使雨降在地上的日子。
15妇人就照以利亚的话去行。他和他家中的人，并以利亚，吃了许多日子。
信息分享
神会在那里保护他吗？在一个异邦的国家，神如何供应他呢？但神却向他保证说：「我已吩咐那里的一个寡妇来供养你。」于是，以利亚便听从神的吩咐，步行六十多里前往神要他去的地方。
在以利亚的心目中，是否预期会有一位住在大屋、有仆人差使的有钱寡妇来接待他呢？可是，以利亚所找到的，却是一位几乎连活命的指望也没有的穷寡妇。这位寡妇显然是认识神的，因为她知道以利亚是属于永生耶和华神的仆人。然而，她此刻的眼目却没有仰望神，反而只呆望着家中那些空坛和空瓶。
我们可以把以利亚对寡妇说的话意译如下：「你只要听我的吩咐去做，你只要信任我和信靠我的神，你和你的儿子便会源源不绝地得到神的供应，获得足够的食物。」事实也真的这样发生。
神以非常奇妙的方式来供应他们。神并非一次性地赐予他们一年的需用；反之，坛内的面和瓶内的油，都正好足够他们三人每天的所需。他们每天都有神的新鲜供应。神就是这样，要我们每天经历祂的新恩，但祂的赐予总是足够我们每天的需用。
以利亚在那里住了多久呢？足足有两年，超过七百二十天。他身在何方呢？敌人的领土上。他住在谁家呢？一无所有的穷寡妇家！神有没有实践祂的承诺？当然有，而且是每天都实践。神今天也一样吗？绝对是，他永不改变。不管你身在何处，祂都应许与你同在，直到永永远远。
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.