God's Gracious Provision

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 27 JULY 2025 am - MR GARETH McINTYRE

1 KINGS 17 VERSES 1 TO 16 - GOD'S GRACIOUS PROVISION

I am sure most of us know something of the life of George Mueller. He was born to a German tax collector and was often in trouble - stealing, gambling and drinking like a fish. He would sleep in hotels then sneak out before paying the next morning. One day he was caught and put in prison. When released he repeated the process all over again. In 1825 he met the Lord and repented of his sin. His life was greatly changed. He eventually married and settled down in Bristol. George developed an interest in the children who lived on the streets and opened his first orphanage in 1836. Initially 26 children were housed. He then went on to open a second followed quickly by a third orphanage. Thereafter George refused to speak of his financial needs, believing in prayer for God's provision. Time and again God did indeed provide. We have all probably heard of the famous story where the plates and bowls had been set on the table for breakfast but there was no food or milk for the children. George led the prayer for daily bread when a knock came to the door. A breadman told him he couldn't sleep and got up at 2 am to bake bread for his children. Then a milk man appeared. His lorry had broken down right outside the orphanage and he wanted to offload the contents to repair it. He asked George if he could take and use his milk. In his 93 years of life 10,000 orphans were helped. George prayed and preached the gospel far and wide. He had 50,000 answers to prayer. We know and love and serve the same God that provided for George Mueller and others. 

In 1 Kings 17 we see the hand of God's provision which is able to meet the practical, spiritual and emotional needs of Elijah and the woman of Zarephath. It doesn't matter our outward circumstances - drought or famine - God's gracious provision is found. In this story we see that the heavens were closed due to idol worship. Is there drought in your life today? Are there idols in your life that must be addressed? It might be cars, houses or other material possessions. Sometimes life can draw us away from the blessings of God. Elijah stood tall before King Ahab and the idols of Baal. He prayed and the fire of God fell on Mount Carmel. Elijah challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a showdown. He told them to pray and the God that answered by fire was the true God of Israel. The prophets called on their god all day but nothing happened. In frustration they gave up. At the evening sacrifice Elijah turned to call on the Lord God Almighty. He gave the commandment to dig a trench and then pour in 12 barrels of water. When all had been finished Elijah prayed a short prayer and the fire of God fell on that mountain. "When the people saw it they fell on their faces and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord he is the God." (1 Kings 18 verse 39) Elijah took the prophets of Baal and slew all of them. What happened on Mount Carmel was a mighty display of God. God's instrument used to show his power. God's man doing God's work in a mighty way. That was not always the way for Elijah. He ended up on the mountain because God had prepared him, to train him from what he would face, to accomplish what he would do all for the glory of God. Do you know someone who has been shaped by life's greatest challenges? Elijah was prepared through difficult circumstances. He was placed in circumstances that were beyond his control. God was greater than anything and everything he would have to face. He learned how to trust God even in the most hostile of situations. 

"When I cannot trace God's heart I can always trust God's heart." C H Spurgeon

Is God preparing you for a mountain you will face in the future? Is your faith being tested at the moment?  In verse 1 we see that God told Elijah to stand before King Ahab and pronounce judgment on the people of Israel. God said it wouldn't rain and it didn't rain. In verse 3 Elijah was told to turn east by the brook Cherith. He became a wanted man. Ahab would go to great lengths to find him. He had to flee to the brook Cherith. In the midst of drought and famine God provided for Elijah. God was faithful. He provided a daily provision as he waited for the Lord's direction. Some say Elijah stayed at the brook for 12 months. Would you have been tempted to run ahead of God if you were in a similar situation? Elijah was so patient. Remember Saul waiting on Samuel to arrive went ahead and offered the sacrifice. He disobeyed God. God does not reveal all of our steps all at once, only what we need. He will not give us more light until we walk in the light he has given us. Consider this widow woman of Zarephath in verses 8 and 9. The Lord used and blessed and sustained her. Her cupboards were bare. She was barren, empty but found gracious provision. Can anyone relate to this widow? Maybe your cupboards are bare, everything has been spent. Why not claim the great promise found in verse 14 "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."

The woman God chose - verse 9. Elijah had to make a 100 mile long journey to enter a foreign country to Zarephath. It was the last place he expected the Lord to send him. Gentile territory. Jezebel's home stranglehold of Baal worship. He was going into enemy territory. Are we going through fiery difficulties at the moment? Financial, health, in the workplace? They are a means to mould, refine and purge us. Maybe for us it is a time of losing someone. Maybe we can look back to times that were so difficult to bear. Those are the times when we experience God the most. When we are down in the valley of disappointment then we know God's presence and grace. Elijah maybe thought he would get it easy for a while but he needed more refining. He was not making a journey to enjoy a luxury life. One woman God chose to sustain him in Zarephath. A poor widow woman who couldn't look after herself as well as Elijah. When he arrived he didn't stumble across her accidentally. God had told him before hand who she was. At the right time, right at the gate, this widow was out gathering sticks - verse 10. In all her poverty God chose her. In all her need, emptiness, insufficiency God chose this woman and he also has you for a purpose seen or unseen. God chose this woman - her heart was broken. There had been joy in the early years, she had married and had a son then it was marred by the death of her husband. A man robs her of the supply of food. She was left to fend for herself and her son. No husband protected her. In verse 18 there was something in her past life that she hadn't let go of. It burdened her heart continually. A woman chosen by God. Maybe you allow sins of the past, the sins God has forgiven you of to stop you from working for him. "As far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103 verse 12) For the burden of sin that you carry are you willing to say "Lord I am not available now." This is the woman God chose. Her home was barren. All she had was a little meal, a cruse of oil and a few sticks and 2 people to complete it. This woman's hands were tied. It is easy to think God only uses great people. "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" (1 Corinthians 1 verses 26 and 27)  You might stand and say 'there is someone better fit, more talented, resourceful, a more obvious choice.' God knows and his choice is obvious to him. He took a shepherd boy with nothing more than stones in his hand to slay the giant Goliath. He took a shepherd with a staff in his hand to part the Red Sea.  Maybe God is calling you to use your heart and your home for his purpose just like the woman of Zarephath.

The command God sent - verse 9. God never audibly spoke to this woman. She was surprised by Elijah's request. God prepared her heart for her to sustain Elijah. God asked for her priority. God only asks for that. Do we have it? She had no problem giving water but protested over the bread for she had only enough for her and her son. She only had her poverty - verse 13. She only had a little meal but Elijah asked her to put him first. She was asked to give her all. Elijah had already proved so much. He knew God would provide. There was something in her life that was holding her back. That was why Elijah told her not to fear. Does fear keep you from giving God priority? She knew who Elijah was and who God was. How often it is hard to take a step of faith. We focus rather on what we have rather than what God has in store for us, the blessing to receive. We need to give God priority. We need to replace fear with faith. Fear robs us of strength, enthusiasm, confidence. it brings frustration, depression, trials. Are you being defeated by fear? God add his promise - verse 14. Out of your poverty give me priority then the barriers will fall. This woman overcame her fear and took god at his word. She showed kindness to the prophet.

The blessing that God gave. God keeps his promises - verses 15 and 16 "and she went and did". Simple obedience. There was a simplicity. Simple obedience brought rest and peace. No more panicking. Trusting in God. Simple obedience to the voice of God leads to less stressful experience. Great simplicity by its sufficiency. God took a poor widow woman with next to nothing to give all that she had and he gave her all that he had. God uses everything at his disposal. "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6 verse 33) Obedience and faith was placed into the hand of God. She proved his promises never failed. God supplied not her greed but her need. She expected to perish but she was preserved. Believers have all they need to live. God took nothing and he make everything. Make God first and he will give you his provision. 

Chaplain Robinson shares a true story about his grandmother that took place in 1949. His father had just returned home from World War II. 

On every American highway, you could see soldiers in uniform hitchhiking home to their families, as was the custom at that time in America. 

Sadly, the thrill of his reunion with his family was overshadowed by the illness of Robinson's grandmother. 

The problem was her kidneys. The doctors told Robinson's father that she needed a blood transfusion immediately or she would not live through the night.

With his grandmother's blood type being AB negative, a very rare type of blood even today, but even harder to get back then because there were no blood banks or air flights to ship blood. 

None of the family members had matching blood. So the doctors gave the family no hope of her surviving through the night. Robinson's father left the hospital in tears to gather all the family members so they could say "Good-bye" to Grandmother.

As Robinson's father was driving down the highway, he passed a soldier hitchhiking home to his family. 

Deep in grief, the father had no inclination to do a good deed at that moment. Yet, he felt strongly impressed to stop and pick up the stranger. Robinson's father was so upset that he did not ask the soldier's name. The soldier, however, noticed the tears in his eyes and asked what was wrong. 

Through the tears Robinson's father told this stranger about his dying mother in the hospital because they could not give her a transfusion of AB negative blood because they did not have any. She would be dead by morning. It got very quiet in the car. 

Then this unidentified soldier extended his hand out to Robinson's father with the palm upward. 

Resting in the palm of his hand was his army dog tags with his blood type engraved on them, AB negative. The soldier told Robinson's father to turn the car around and get him to the hospital where she was given a transfusion of this man's blood.

Robinson's grandmother lived until 1996, 47 years later, and to this day no one in the family knows the soldier's name. Robinson's father wonders if he was a soldier or an angel in uniform. 

Sometimes we never know who God will bring into our lives to carry out a special mission nor do we know whose lives the Lord will have us touch and bless.