Mother’s Day in Zarephath

She was a single mother doing her best to raise a son after the death of her husband.  The grief she felt for her departed spouse had to take a back seat to the daily struggle for survival.  Not only did she have the monumental task of raising a child on her own, but the whole country was in the grip of an economic catastrophe.  A depression was brought on by a drought and famine in the land.  Being a mother in this time and place was heartbreaking.  We don’t know her name.  The only thing that we do know about her is that she was a widowed mother of a son, and that she was from the town of Zarephath.  Her story is found in 1 Kings 17:7-24.  Poverty, hunger, and hopelessness was her daily lot.  But everything in her life changed on the day the prophet Elijah stopped by.

This woman was in a serious financial crisis.  Yet she received 3 mother’s day presents.  The first present was food.  When she obeyed the prophet about preparing a small loaf for him first, she discovered a miracle.  The barrel of meal and cruise of oil continued to last for a long time.  This mother was living a bottom of the barrel lifestyle but received a wonderful gift from the prophet and the Lord.  The second mother’s day gift came when her son died.  What a tragedy to lose your only child.  But God used Elijah to restore her son to life.  The gift of family is one of the most precious gifts in our lives.  The third gift came when the woman who was not one of the people of God came to faith.  1 Kings 17:24 tells us: “Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth”.  When she witnessed the power of God who could restore her son to life she believed.

The mother of Zarephath received three wonderful Mother’s Day presents: financial provision, family restoration, and faith in God.