Two-Minute Manna

After receiving water, Elijah asked for cake, or bread, from the widow. When she told him she had only enough for the last meal for her and her son, Elijah said, “Don’t worry. Make me the cake first - and afterwards, there will be a continual supply of meal and oil for you and your son.”

I can almost see the widow’s wheels turning. “Wait a minute,” she must have thought, “why don’t you fill the barrel and the oil jar first - then I’ll be happy to give you a cake or two or three.” But the Lord doesn’t work that way.

True sacrifice is always out of survival, never out of surplus. We have a tendency to say, “Lord, if You bless me, then I’ll give. If You bless us, then we’ll move out.” That’s exactly backwards. You give first, then the blessing is released. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness - and then all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). That’s a hard one for us.

“Have the priests put their feet in the water,” the Lord said to Joshua, “and the river will part.”

Joshua could have said, “Lord, part the water first - then we’ll be happy to step in.” But he didn’t. He obeyed - and the river parted (Joshua 3).

The Father is determined to make us men and women of faith. And He’ll put us in situation after situation where faith must be exercised. It takes no faith to give out of surplus. It takes tremendous faith to give out of survival - when you just don’t have it - whether it’s time, finances, or love.

The widow believed. She stepped out in faith, and God blessed. Her needs were met. The Lord will not be a debtor to any man. If you are giving, sharing, sacrificing, He will never be in your debt. He’ll more than make it up.