Bring me first!
1 King 17:13”And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.”
I tell you, you need audacity and nerve to look at a widow who is picking some sticks to bake cakes with the last amount of flour and oil that she had for her and her son and say ” first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.” The man of God who asked was prophet Elijah! Observe the word afterward! If you were the widow how would you react, “these pastors have no other work than to ask for offering, how dare he asks for the little I have, what do I do if I gave away what I have?” The blessings that she received later was the answer to how she reacted to the request of the man of God! She went and did as Elijah said. Did you read that? Immediate obedience. You want to know how God blessed her obedience? “She and he and her household ate for many days.” Glory to Jesus!
Now listen, initially the words that the widow spoke to Elijah were: 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Observe the words ‘we are going to die!’ Are you listening? Everything seemed to be catastrophic in her life but it does not have to remain that way, God can change your circumstances. Are you hearing me? How many of you believe? God can change your sorrow to joy, your tears to cheers and your nothingness to loveliness! God did it for that widow, she and her household were content for many days. Friend, with the measure that you give it would be given back to you! Jesus said “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38) Powerful! Your lap would be overflowing with blessings! Your house would be dripping with joy and peace, your children would be obedient and a blessing, your finances would be good and most important there would be real joy in your life.
Check out your life today! Are you blessing the ministries, people and the church who are blessing you spiritually? Think. The Lord said: “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions.” (Malachi 3:8) When we withhold the tithes and offerings due for God then we get curses in our life, family, business and job. God withdraws peace and real joy! No wonder homes look like war zones and graveyard though filled with electronic gadgets and luxury because God has withheld blessings.
We need bold and anointed ‘Elijahs’ to daringly ask, ’give God first then afterward you spend for yourself.’ Would you respond to the call of God right away?
