Almost enough?

I was challenged this week to think about having a conversation with Elijah. For a reminder, he was the ‘good ole boy’ from the back woods who stood before King Ahab and told him it wouldn’t rain any more until Elijah said it would. WOW! (Side note: Jezebel was Ahab’s wife. The meanest, most evil woman in the world.)

My first question to him would be, “Weren’t you afraid to make such a declaration?”  “Weren’t you scared to death that it might not be God’s will and an old fashioned soaker would begin before you left the palace?”

This is Faith Promise Missions time of year for our church. I’ve actively given missions all my life … My parents loved missionaries and participating in getting the gospel preached all over the world.

Do you realize you and I have been commanded to spread the gospel? That’s right! “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Isn’t your passport up to date? Mine is … but I physically can not go to the whole world. Who has time for that? I barely get to work and church let alone, traveling the whole world! Plus, it’s better for the whole world that I try not to butcher their language. I barely get English right half the time!

So what’s the answer to that dilemma? God called my husband and I to Arkansas 38 years ago. We knew without a shadow of a doubt this is where He wanted us. God does the same thing for missionaries He wants around the world. Since I can’t go, it’s my place to give, so others can go. It’s not part of the 10 percent God asked us to give back to Him. It’s over and above that … it comes from our heart because we care about the world.

There are so many good causes and organizations to give money and time to. But there is nothing more important, life impacting and eternal than someone accepting Christ as their personal savior — whether it’s in my neighborhood or in China.

So if you were to ask me, “But will God supply that money you promised to give each week for missions?” I would not hesitate to answer YES HE CAN! YES HE WILL! 

Why would I say that? Because I’ve seen Him do it over and over. I know God can be trusted to provide more than I need. (Let’s meet for lunch and I’ll tell you some stories!)

So I totally expect Elijah’s answer to be, “No I wasn’t afraid. Because that’s what God told me to say, and He’s never failed me.”

After Elijah made that statement, there are some neat ways God provided for him in the drought (that he proclaimed). You can read all about it in I. Kings 17. When the stream dried up where he had been camping, God sent him across enemy lines to an area where a widow was gathering sticks to cook the last meal of food she had for her son and herself. Elijah asks her for some water. She agrees to get him a drink. (During a drought?) Then he also asks for some bread. (What man doesn’t need a sandwich? Since he was a preacher, I’m very surprised he didn’t ask for fried chicken.) She explained that she only had enough oil and flour for their last meal. 

Elijah promised her if she took care of him, she would discover her flour and oil would not run out until it rained again and crops would grow. She obeyed and always “had enough,” for the next meal … and the next meal … possibly for years! Scripture says the drought lasted for a total of three years, but we don’t know at what point in that time Elijah was there.

Don’t worry about obeying God. He will always make sure you “have enough” to supply your needs. Notice he didn’t promise her she would be on the cover of Money Magazine as the richest widow in the land. But she would “have enough.” 

I’m so grateful we can trust God’s promises — for our daily needs and our eternal destination. I hope you are involved in spreading the gospel. It’s “Good News'' that you can’t keep to yourself. Tell you friends, neighbors and participate in giving to missionaries who are preaching the gospel around the world so people can also hear the Good News.