for herself or her child, and expected to "pine
away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field," and to
die with hunger.

Elijah bid her not to fear, but go and do what she had said. He asked
her to make him a little cake first, and bring it to him, and
afterwards make one for herself and son. "For thus saith the Lord God
of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse
of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."

It would not have been strange, if this widow of Zarephath had been
unwilling to divide her handful of meal with Elijah, or if she had
doubted the promise which was made to her, but she did not. She baked
the little cake for the stranger, and afterwards one for herself and
her boy, and there was plenty of meal and of oil left for another
repast. "She, and he, and her house, did eat of it many days." The
barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, till the
Lord sent rain upon the earth, and her wants could be supplied in the
usual way. She did not lose the reward promised to those who give a
cup of cold water to the friends of God.

God does not willingly afflict the creatures he has made. He is a
gracious God, merciful, and of great kindness, and has compassion even
on the beasts of the field. When Jonah complained that he spared
Nineveh, because its inhabitants humbled themselves before him, and
turned from their evil way, after having sent him to prophesy to them
that in forty days it should be overthrown, he said to Jonah, "Should
I not spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six-score
thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and
their left; and also much cattle?"

In this long drought in the land of Canaan, the cattle must have
suffered greatly, and many of them probably perished. Indeed, we read
that Ahab, the king of Israel, and Obadiah, the governor of his house,
searched the land for the fountains and brooks, to find grass to save,
the horses and mules alive, that they might not be all lost.

God is a Father, and, like a tender, loving father, he removes his
chastisements so soon as they have produced the effect designed. He
was "grieved for the misery of Israel." He told Elijah he would send
rain. The prophet went to Ahab, who, when he saw him, asked, "Art thou
he that troubleth Israel?" Elijah answered, it was Ahab, and his
father's house, who troubled Israel, because they had forsa