Let us trust in the Lord and

let us not lean on our own understanding.

If we lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5), we cannot obey God's commands.

The reason is because we can’t understand God's command with our own understanding.

How could God command Elijah to hide himself by the brook Cherith

when there was no dew or rain (1 Kgs. 17:1-4).

If it didn’t rain for these years, of course the brook would dry up (verse 7).

And if the brook would dry up, of course Elijah would be unable to drink water from the brook.

How could God commanded Elijah to arise and go to Zarephath and tell him that He commanded a widow,

who only had a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar

and was about to prepare a food for her and her son and then die, there to provide for him? (vv. 9, 12) 

If God had a little rich Christian widow prepared,

then it would be nice to eat abundantly and receive generous support for ministry.

How could Elijah command her to bring him a piece of bread that she and her son was about to eat? (vv. 11, 13)

After that, Elijah told her to make one bread cake for herself and her son (v. 13).

No matter who Elijah was, a prophet, would he love her son as much as her?

It’s human instinct that the widow wanted to feed her son first even if she couldn’t eat herself.

How could she go and serve the food to the prophet Elijah?

With our own understanding, we cannot understand Elijah’s command to the widow.

Also, we cannot understand God’s command to Elijah.

But this widow obeyed the command of God's man Elijah (vv. 15, 18, 24).

But the prophet Elijah, the man of God, obeyed God's command (vv. 5, 10).

How could they be obedient?

It is because they trusted in God with all their hearts rather than lean on their understanding (Prov. 3:5).

It was because they believed in God's promised word (1 Kgs. 17:4, 9, 14).

Even Elijah obeyed God's promise by holding on to the word of God's promise,

“I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there” (v. 4),

even though there was no promise that the water of the brook would not dry up (v. 5).

Isn't this amazing?

What was the result of the obedience of Elijah and the widow?

They experienced the miracles of the fulfillment of God's promised word (vv. 6, 16).

But what happened after?

How could the window’s son die when she obeyed God's command? (v. 17)

Why did God let the son of the widow, who obeyed God's command, die?

Why do we face the greatest crisis in our lives when we obey God's command?

Is God trying to make us to repent our hidden sins by revealing them? (v. 18)

Is He trying to make us to cry out to God? (v. 20)

Does He want us to experience the power and glory of God's resurrection? (v. 22)

Is He trying to make other(s) to know

that we are God's people and that the word of God in our mouths is truth? (v. 24)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6)