Elijah and the Widow

Children’s Chapel

June 5, 2016

Proper 5C

Introduction for Teachers:  Last week’s Bible story as well as this week’s story come from the Old Testament and center on the prophet Elijah. Elijah comes to the home of a widow and asks for something to eat. The widow shows that she has faith in God through trusting Elijah’s instructions to her.

Welcome: Children will enter quietly and sit together on the floor. Welcome all children and ask if there are any new friends today.

Preview the Story: In last week’s Bible story we heard a story about God’s prophet, Elijah who was a special servant of God. Elijah trusted in God and helped the people of Israel understand that there are no other gods but Yahweh. Today we will hear another Bible story about Elijah and a widow woman and how they both trust God.

           

The Bible Story: (Read Aloud)

1 Kings 17:8-24

⁸Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁹“Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰So 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.” ¹¹As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹²But 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.” ¹³Elijah 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. ¹⁴For 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.” ¹⁵She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The 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.

¹⁷After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸She then said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!” ¹⁹But he said to her, “Give me your son.” He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰He cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?” ²¹Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” ²²The Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. ²³Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” ²⁴So the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

Respond to the Story: In the Bible story Elijah comes to a widow woman and asks her to prepare him a little loaf of bread. She tells Elijah that she has barely enough to make bread for her and her son and that then they will die. Elijah responds by telling her that her grain will not run out nor will her oil. The woman shows great faith in the God of Elijah and does as Elijah says. The grain miraculously does not run out and the oil remains in the jar. But then the widow’s son becomes sick and dies. The widow asks Elijah why she has had such misfortune when she has trusted in Elijah and his God. Elijah takes the child to his own room and prays that God will restore the life of the child. God hears Elijah’s prayers and the child is alive. God loves Elijah and the widow and her son. God loves each of us too because we are his children. God provides for our needs and is always with us in good times, difficult times and everywhere in between. We can have faith like Elijah and the widow and know that God hears our prayers and provides for us.

Pray:  Thank you God for taking care of us, for blessing us with all of our needs and for calling us your children. Let us grow in our relationship with you through your Holy Spirit that we may live in peace and love with one another.  Amen.

Response Activity: “Elijah and the Widow” story board.