Wednesday, June 16, 2010

THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH

Thomas S. Monson continued....

The plight of the widow is a recurring theme through holy writ. Our hearts go out to the widow at Zarephath. Gone was her husband. Consumed was her scant supply of food. Starvation and death awaited. But then came God’s prophet with the seemingly brazen command that the widow woman should feed him. Her response is particularly touching: “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 reassuring words of Elijah penetrated her very being:

“Fear not; 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.

“For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail. …

“And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah. …

“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail.”

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I believe it was stories like this that instilled some fear in me as a new widow that I might face a similar plight. But more than fear... or perhaps it overwhelmed and replaced my fear... was faith. Faith that just as these widows in the bible stories were cared for, I too would be watched over and provided for. My needs would be met. The Lord would not leave me alone.

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