"I only have..."

I am sitting in the story of Elijah with the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-16). 

The need was great. The man of God needed sustenance and the widow only had meager supplies as the drought brought about a catastrophic famine in the land. 

Yet, God granted a miracle to feed three when the resources were scarce and the provision did not make sense. 

God could have continued using the ravens in a ravine way down south in the Judean desert to feed the man of God, but His eye was upon a widow in the north by the Mediterranean Sea. 

While the widow thought she was preparing her last meal for her and her son, God was preparing a way as only the Way Maker can do. He was sending a hungry prophet to be fed with her meager supplies. His journey would take three to four days walking at faithful pace. We might assume he had no food or water for his journey since the ravens had stopped feeding him and there was a famine in the land. 

His request for water might have been desperately spoken through dry parched lips and a throat so dry it burned to speak. 

She only need share what was her last resource to the man of God to receive the miraculous gift of an always full jar of oil and flour.

Desperation born from different reasons.

God could have fed the widow in the north with ravens or even turtles for that matter and the prophet in the south like wise. But, God likes to make human connections. He loves to build community and relationships. He uses these moments to build character and hope. He knows full well what will build our trust and test our faith. 

Will we go? Will we share? Do we dare? Do we listen? Do we obey? 

Sometimes, we find our provision in meeting someone else's need with our, "I only have..."

What miracle might we be missing by thinking, "I only have...?"