The Widows Portion: The arrogance of the Prophet
As I’ve begun looking ahead at 2012, I can’t seem to get away from the story of the Elijah and the widow.
Elijah is on the run from the King, because the prophet proclaimed drought in Israel. For a while he camps out by a brook and has a pretty nice gig where birds feed him every day. Wonder who lost food to the birds? Then he goes on the run from his own prophecy.
God sends him to a starving widow who is collecting sticks to make one last little cake, enough for she and her son to eat, then begin the slow wait for death. How much flower and oil are left? A pancake? A bunt cake? Who knows? What is known is that it isn’t much.
Elijah is hungry. Addicted to 2-a-day by Bird Express, he isn’t used to hunger. He asks boldly, expecting. The Widow tells him the truth. No pretense.
Having lived the last decade of my life in Africa, this woman must have been in severe need. To deny hospitality is a great violation of social propriety. She has no choice. Undeterred, the prophet asks “First, make me a cake.” Put my needs before yours. Almost saying ‘I’m more important than you.’ It feels wrong. It feels selfish.
Centuries later, Jesus would make another such a wild claim. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness.”
We are constantly surrounded by need. Men and women hustling to get by, getting their business up and going, finding work, finishing education, and trying to find daily bread. The word that keep resonating with my spirit though is “first, bake me a cake.”
Practically, what does that mean?
First bake me a cake with your time. Instead of scheduling church around your business interests, trips, and work concerns, make the decision to put your commitments to servanthood as the most important commitments you have. That means serving faithfully in areas of gifting and of need. Music, kids, youth, media, the list goes on. Central to this is also being part of an Exponential community group. Tell your boss no when his schedule conflicts with your Ocean commitments.
Then, bake me a cake with your money. Amazingly, so many followers want God to honor them but refuse to honor God with their first fruits. As a pastor, I’ve experienced firsthand the manipulation that so many experience in the context of church. But just because there are bad doctors does not mean we quit going to the doctor. A bad mechanic doesn’t mean all mechanics are bad. And anything you have given to God remains a gift to God, regardless of how the ones it was given to you manage that money.
Finally, bake me a cake with your heart. You can serve and give and not be emotionally involved. We see this in parents, in families, in workplaces all over. If we are to move ahead as a community, its going to require sacrifice, passion and dedication. Often, things will be uncomfortable. When something or someone has my heart, all those things seem minimal. Often, we want to hedge our bets, to not give of ourselves emotionally. If we are the church, we’ve got to invest ourselves emotionally in the health, growth, and vitality of the community.
As we look forward to 2012 at the Ocean, we have amazing opportunities. We have doors of ministry to see many people become follower of Christ. We can see the business culture change in Dar. What I keep hearing as I prepare is, bake me a cake.
That’s my challenge for us as we prepare for Sunday. Are you ready to FIRST, bake a cake for the Lord’s purposes?
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