The Widow of Zarephath, William Lyons [classic books for 7th graders txt] 📗

shoulder and in a very kind and soft voice said, “All will be well with you and your son. Do you not remember the promise God gave you? He promised that if you fed me that your small barrel of meal and your cruse of oil would not fail until the rains came and there was food available once more.” He patted her shoulder and continued, “He has kept that promise for over three years. He will continue to do so; and, he will keep that promise whether I am here or not.”
Tears sprang into her eyes and she felt that warm glow in her breast she had come to associate with this old man’s God, and she knew that what he said was true. Smiling and looking the man in the eyes, she said simply, “Thank you.”
The next morning she awoke early. She had some extra firewood and soon was making a small barley cake. When the old man appeared in the main room of the house, he already had his small pack on his back and would have left had she not stopped him. “Sir, wait a few moments, please. I am making you a cake to take with you. I know it is not much, but you will have something to eat along the way.”
He began to protest, “You have so little. I couldn’t poss --”
“Please?” She begged with tears in her eyes.
Seeing her this way, the old man got tears in his own eyes and said slowly, “As you wish. I would be honored.”
She hurried and finished the cake for him and, after wrapping it in a small cloth, gave it to him. As he turned to go she asked timidly, “Could I know your name, sir? I know it is impolite for a woman to ask such a thing, but . . .”
Instead of being upset, the old man smiled, then coming very close he said quietly, “My name is Elijah. I am Elijah the Tishbite.” Seeing the shock on her face, he smiled and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Still smiling and with a definite twinkle in his eyes, he said quietly, “Don’t believe everything you hear at the well.” In a slightly louder voice, that was filled with an authority she never heard from the priests of her town, he said, “May the blessings of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, rest upon you, your home, and all that dwell here.” Without another word, he turned and walked out of the front door.
She stood in a state of amazement in the doorway of her home staring after the old man for some time. To her surprise, the shock she felt at his disclosure was overpowered by the warm glow of the blessing resting upon her home. She knew in that instant she had known all along who this man was. She also knew now, that if Elijah’s God had cursed the land, it had to have been for a very good reason!
The months passed and the rains came. There were fish again in the waters of the sea and crops were being planted. At the end of the barley harvest, when grain was once more available, Miriam went to the local market place. Soon she was home with a large bag of meal and a jar of oil. When she opened the barrel to store the new meal, she discovered that for the first time in over three years, the barrel of meal was empty.
Miriam was not upset. Instead, she fell upon her knees as she had learned to do from her visitor of the last three years and thanked the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for all that he had done for her and her son. Then she asked a special blessing on ”the old man.” As that special warmth she had come to know so well spread through her, she knew that all would be well. Imprint

Publication Date: 03-15-2010

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