I Kings 17:17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him.
OOPS? Just one verse prior said that the widow, her son and Elijah ate for many days? Things change quickly. One thing for sure is that God is unpredictable. He was then and still is now. Why send Elijah with a word, from the Lord, to the widow, to care for him first and then they the widow and her son, would be taken care of, all to have her son die after a few good meals?
I can so relate to what must have been going through the widows mind.
18 So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?”
OOPS! Just one verse prior and the very same widow is doing exactly as the same man of God asked. People change quickly. One thing for sure is that people are unpredictable. They were then and still are now. "What have I to do with you, O man of God?" After giving him water and baking him a cake, all by faith remember, because she only had enough for her and her son and then they were going to die, she asks, "what have I to do with you?" The flour has not been used up and the oil has not run dry and, "what have I to do with you?" Did she think that happened on her account? It appears to be a case of "what have you done for me lately."
The widow recognizes Elijah as a man of God but where has her faith gone? However many days earlier this widow and her son were preparing to die. Was it the unexpectedness of her sons death? Had hope been restored through the never ending flour and oil and now she feels like it has been taken away? I recognize the widows feelings. She then asks, "have you come to me bring my sin to remembrance?" It's like me asking what have I done wrong, what am I not doing, did I miss God? And the death of her son is my seemingly unanswered prayer or unmet expectations. What's changed? The flour and oil are still flowing. Elijah is still there and he's still the man of God?
When God commanded the widow even before Elijah had arrived He knew of her sin. When God made the four and oil to last long enough to feed them all for many days, He knew of her sin. The widow knew of her sin all this time as well. What was she thinking? God commands her, Elijah shows up and speaks to her, she responds in faith, there is plenty of flour and oil, the widow and her son do not die. And yet she asks Elijah, if he has killed her son because of her sin. Why would he feed them and then kill one of them? That seems to be a fair question......... doesn't it? I think my question, would not be of Elijah but of God. God what are you thinking, what are you doing? I'd be asking God why save us only to take my son after a few meals? I thought you sent the four and oil that we might live. Why give me hope only to take my son. Why didn't you just let us die when we had already prepared to? CIRCUMSTANCES sure do bounce us around. I tend to find great security in them. If there is food today then there will always be food. If Ann Marie is with me today then she will be with me tomorrow. Truth be told...... There is no security in what God is doing....... only in who He is! That seems to be the widows problem. She found some security in the flour and oil and not in who He is?
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