Strength to Keep On Going
MEMORY VERSE:
“‘As surely as the Lord your God lives,’ she replied,
‘I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug.
I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself
and my son, that we may eat it and die.’
Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said.
But first make a small cake of bread for me,
and then make something for yourself and your son… She went away
and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day
for Elijah and for the woman and her family.”
1 Kings 17:12-15
INTRODUCTION
The widow must’ve mumbled to herself “I know where I’m supposed to go and I want to go there… I really do… but things are so messed up right now that I just can’t go on anymore…” Sounds familiar? You bet. Well then… how can we get the strength to keep on going to where we’re supposed to go?
I. The widow knew the ingredients for strength.
o Instruction is an ingredient for strength.
o Providence is an ingredient for strength
II. The widow sought to acquire the strength the journey required.
o Obedience transforms direction into strength for the journey.
o Faith transforms providence into strength for the journey.
III. The widow went on with her journey.
o Dwelling on satisfaction stops strength from becoming abiding strength.
o Dwelling on comfort stops strength from becoming abiding strength.
CONCLUSION
The widow wanted her son and herself to live abundantly but there was a drought – she just didn’t have the strength to keep on going. She knew that God’s instruction and providence could be transformed into strength so she obeyed God with faith and, sure enough, she gained strength. The first miracle could’ve made her dwell on satisfaction and comfort but she chose to go on with her journey. As a result, the strength she had acquired became abiding strength.
REFLECTION: Let us ask ourselves the following questions:
o Do you sometimes feel like giving up?
– When?
– What did you do?
o When was the time when you really decided to give up?
– Was it in the past? What did you do then?
– Is it right at this moment? What are you going to do about it?
o Can you face the instructions that God has placed in your heart?
– What are they?
– What makes it difficult to obey them?
o Have you decided to keep on going? Why?
o How does it feel to know that abiding strength is always there to
acquire?
– Describe it.
– Thank God for it.
APPLICATION:
= prayer of commitment =
Almighty God, thank You for never getting tired of journeying down this road with me. Thank You for the ingredients for abiding strength that You have made available for me. Thank You for making it possible for me to transform these ingredients into strength. Help me to avoid the traps set in order for me forfeit the abiding strength that You have placed within my reach. And thank You for the strength that you have now given me so that I can keep on going. Amen.
= statement of commitment =
Whenever I find myself unable to go on, I will gather the ingredients for strength and, with God’s help, will transform them into abiding strength. I will go on.
CLOSING PRAYER