Week 7: Our Breadbasket Way of Life

Introduction:

Our last story of bread in this series isn’t about feeding crowds, entertaining angels, or even a vibrant community. This story takes place in a time of famine. It’s about a widow who is preparing a final meal with just a bit of bread before she and her son starve to death. But more importantly it is the story of a woman who believes the words, “Do not be afraid,’ with a generous heart. Like Abraham and Sarah, the widow is visited by a stranger, the prophet Elijah. She doesn’t have the wealth or resources that they had to prepare a feast, but she does have a generous faith. In sharing what she has, there is enough, not just for that meal, but for many days ahead.


Our breadbasket way of life doesn’t require wealth, influence, or hype. It’s a simple way that trusts in our loving God and with a generous heart willingly shares what it has with other hungry bellies and hungry hearts.


Scripture:

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.     – 1 Kings 17

Invitations:

  • Reflect on this week’s scripture. What words or phrases speak to you? Is there anything here that is uncomfortable for you?
  • As you reflect back over this series, how have you grown in your breadbasket way of life? What has been challenging for you?
  • What is your “handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug” that you can share with others? Think of your gifts. Your gifts are much more than the things you are good at. Your gift might be your smile, your compassion, or your ability to put others at ease. How can you share these with others?

  • Prayer:
    What is the prayer of your heart as you live your breadbasket life?
    Let this be your prayer this week and going forward.