17:1 Carry the Word Elijah spoke the words of God not only to powerful kings but also to weak widows and peasants. His calling was to speak the message plainly. Being a “word-carrier” has a sense of immediacy: “This word is for you now!” Every new encounter begins with “the LORD said” (17:2, 8; 18:1). Word-carriers look for “word-receivers” who can, in turn, become a living message.