Who Sustains Who?

1Ki 17:9 LITV
(9) Rise up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon; and you shall live there. Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you.

Elijah had been camping by a brook, being fed by birds, waiting for God to give him instruction. Have you ever been in that spot where you knew it wasn't a long-term deal? This was such a spot.

When Elijah arrived at Zarephath, he met the "commanded" one, the widow.

1Ki 17:11-12 LITV
(11) And she went to bring it. And he called to her and said, Please bring me a bit of bread in your hand.
(12) And she said, As Jehovah your God lives, I do not have a cake, only a handful of meal in a pitcher, and a little oil in a jar; and behold, I am gathering two sticks and will go in and prepare for myself and for my son; and we shall eat it, and die.

This brings a question to mind. Did she know she had been commanded to provide for Elijah? Did God make a mistake?

1Ki 17:13-14 LITV
(13) And Elijah said to her, Do not fear, go, do according to your word, only first make me a little cake of it, and bring to me and afterward prepare for you and for your son.
(14) For so says Jehovah the God of Israel, The pitcher of meal shall not be consumed, and the jar of oil shall not fail, until the day that Jehovah sends rain on the land.

Who provided for who? Did the widow provide for Elijah or the other way around?

When God puts it in our hearts to provide for someone, it just might be in our best interest to jump on it. This shouldn't motivate us beyond simple obedience, but a very notable thing happened to this widow. She didn't run out of bread - at all - during a period of time when NOBODY had any bread!

Let us recap: God commanded a widow that didn't know she had been commanded. God sent a prophet who had just been on a camping trip where all the hot dogs and buns were provided by the birds. The prophet operated out of faith because 'he had already' heard from God. The widow had to work a little, and gave her "widow's mites" to the prophet, so to speak. The little she gave became sustenance for her and her family during a famine.

By the way, Zarephath means 'refinement'. How does this refine us?