“And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou [art] a man of God, [and] that the word of the LORD in thy mouth [is] truth.” (1Ki 17:24 AV)
Many speculate that unbelief was the sin of the widow that she believed caused the near-death experience of her son. That might be close. While during a time of divinely sent drought and famine, the LORD sent Elijah to a widow woman. This widow had only enough meal and oil left in her house to feed her and her son. She was gathering sticks to make this food when Elijah commanded her to fix him a cake from what she had first. He promised that while she did, her meal and oil would miraculously perpetually sustain. She obeyed, and the LORD provided. The Bible is silent on how long Elijah was with the widow before her son fell ill. The scriptures use the term ‘many days’. Suffice it to say, the miracle of perpetual supply could not be discarded. Yet it is said she had a heart of unbelief. This is supported by her profession of faith above. There was something she was missing even though she lived in the present reality of a miracle. I can understand this.
There are those saints who believe that when it comes to God’s grace, there are limits based on past sin. I have ministered to many who refuse to believe God’s grace is infinite. They hang on to some sin of the past that limits their belief in God’s mercy. They believe God is gracious enough to save them. They may even believe God is merciful enough to do some things. Yet they hang on to their guilt as would rather assume God’s grace is limited rather than hope in an eternally gracious God. More times that one would think, I have sat in my office with someone who was so despondent that they didn’t think God would answer. The were in a perpetual state of self-destruction that refused to call out for mercy because they truly thought there was none left. All one has to do is to read the book of Judges to understand just how merciful God is. We have all been there. We have messed up to a point that we think God will never forgive. We begin to think we have worn out the red carpet of mercy and grace. We think that God did some miracles in the past, but the mistakes of the present are simply too much for God’s grace to overcome.
When we look at the widow, we see someone who was hanging onto guilt over sin. She did not believe Elijah could raise her son. Or, better yet, she believed he could, but probably wouldn’t. Why else would she call for him? If she truly believed God’s grace had run out and all she could hope for His a never-ending supply, then why call the prophet of God? Obviously, she did what she knew was the only thing to do. She called for the man of God, knowing that he could resurrect her son. As to whether God would do it or not, that was a completely different story. We are not advocating that we act in presumption toward the grace of God. Not one little bit. If we are presumptuous, then there is no grace to be had. On the other hand, if we are truly desperate and acknowledge our faults, God will manifest His grace and mercy toward His children. He can do no other.
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