1 Kings 17:13 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.

When Elijah encounters the widow of Zarephath, they both are in the midst of a terrible drought and famine. Elijah, for his part, has been wholly reliant on God, being ministered to by ravens. When God sends him to Sidon, he does not know how he will continue to survive in the drought-stricken land. The widow has resigned herself to the likelihood that she and her son will starve. However, through her hospitality to God's prophet, she discovers what Elijah has already encountered: God's abundant care.

The bread that the widow gives Elijah is all that she has. And yet, she finds that despite, or maybe because of, this radical act of hospitality, she is always able to offer more. Her food stores, though meager, do not run out. The daily bread she bakes for Elijah and her son does not diminish how much she can give. In this way, it is a symbol of love. No loving parent ever runs out of love for their children, just as there is no limit to God's love for us.

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