1 Kings 17:8-16

The Widow of Zarephath

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

For Adult Homes and Groups
1. The Powerball currently sits at $1.9 Billion (with a “B”). If you won the Powerball, what are the first things you would do with your new-found wealth?
2. Do you know anyone who has ever come into a significant amount of money unexpectedly? Have you heard of anyone handling that situation well or poorly, and what made the difference?
3. In general, do you think money can make you “happy?” If so, how much money do you think is needed to be “happy?”
4. Read 1 Kings 17:8-16. Surely the widow was not “happy” with how little she had, so why would she share with Elijah first, even before providing for herself and her son? How could we apply this to our lives today?
6. Identify someone with whom you can be completely vulnerable, and share what you think might be a faithful next step with regards to managing your money.

For Families with Kids
1. Have everyone share three things that make them happy. Be sure to explain why each of those things make you happy.
2. Analyze: How many of the things you stated could you buy?
3. If you found $50 on the street, what would you do with it?
4. Read 1 Kings 17:8-16 with your family. Why would the widow give away what little she had?
5. Bonus Activity: This week, make a list of things to thank God for. As a family, come up with three things to add to the list every day.