sticks

I King 17:10

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.  (KJV) When Elijah came to this little town, the home of a Gentile women, there was no reason to even imagine that it would become the site of one of his great miracles.  When he came through the gate, the woman was out gathering sticks in order to prepare a dinner for herself and her son. It would be a humble dinner and possibly their last dinner together because of the famine.  All she needed was some kindling and sticks for the fire.  Without those sticks there could be no fire, no last meal, no warmth, or light to enjoy some last simple comforts. She had to have those sticks. The fire and the sticks made everything else happen: dinner, heat, light, cooking.

Aren't we like the sticks this woman at Zarepath was gathering off the ground? In life we grow and become more proficient in things. We learn and acquire more talents and skills. These talents and gifts become our sticks.  Then God comes into our life and finds us out working and doing things of self interest in the world. To Him and His purposes, we are just laying around outside the gates of life. He comes along like the women and gathers us up for His purpose, wanting to use our talents - our sticks.  Just like her sticks are no good without the purpose of the fire, warmth, cooking or heat, so it is with us,  God comes along and begins to pick us up, take our talents and skills - our sticks - and puts the fire of the Holy Ghost in us and we begin to burn for Him and His purposes.  We become kingdom workers, evangelists, preachers, servants, lovers of God and are used by God to get something done.  Go burn bright for Him!