A Jar of Flour and a Jug of Oil
“For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.'” 1 Kings 17:14 (ESV)
This sentence was spoken by the prophet Elijah to a widow in Zarephath who was indeed in a desperate situation and needed provision. She clearly believed that her lack was equal to her very death. She was looking entirely toward the natural – just a little flour, just a little oil. She chose to believe that a FACT about having a lack of flour and oil was the same as believing the TRUTH about having little flour and little oil.
Here’s what I mean… With God, there is very often a profound difference between what a FACT is about a situation and what the TRUTH is about that same situation! He has a unique and infinite perspective. The FACT was that there was a lack of flour in the jar and very little oil in the jug. The TRUTH, however, was that any “lack” in the hands of the Lord is more than “enough!”
“Any lack in the hands of the Lord is more than enough!”
If we choose to walk this life simply by FACTS alone, we may not be as open to see the TRUTH of God’s purposes and His power displayed. The FACT may be that we are indeed weak but the TRUTH is that His power is best displayed in and through our weaknesses. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9)
In our lives today, what is our jar of flour or our jug of oil? Where are we choosing to believe the FACTS of our circumstances rather than looking to the TRUTH of our God? At His command, He can make what’s lacking to become more than enough until He ultimately pours out His infinite and eternal blessings – more blessings than can be contained in this life and also in the life to come! He is a God who provides!
Lord, may we walk today, not by sight or facts alone, but by faith and truth, relying upon You and Your provision, and not just in our circumstances, our jar or our jug.
