Beginning a short series today on the prophet Elisha. I pray it is an encouragement to you and your faith will soar! Today’s story is of  the widow and the pot of oil in the book of 2 Kings, chapter four. There is such faith here on the part of the woman of God who has lost her husband, and so many great lessons for us to glean!

“A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.’”

Under Old Testament Law, if you could not pay your debt, or in this case, a husband leaves debt to his wife, you could be forced into bondage, taking on the role of a slave or servant! Here, it would fall to the sons to work off the debt of their father until the year of Jubilee, which came around every 50 years!

“So Elisha said to her, ‘What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?’ And she said, ‘Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.’”

Destitute didn’t begin to describe the situation. She had nothing.

He just wants us to ask in faith…believing! The widow had come to the man of God reminding him that her husband was also a follower of God Almighty. She knew God was able and had faith to believe He would supply her need.  “…Yet you do not have because you do not ask.” James 4:2.

“Then he said, ‘Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.’

So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, ‘There is not another vessel. So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.’”

What do you think would have happened if she had come back with one or two vessels?

Was the miracle dependent on the amount of faith she had?

God would still have performed the miracle but she might not have had enough to pay all of the debt and she would not have had any left over for herself and her sons.

As the saying goes, “Go big or go home!” She didn’t take the prophet lightly. She and her sons gathered as many as they could find, then began borrowing from their neighbors.

Had there been even more vessels, God would have filled those too. He gives more than we ask. She wanted enough to pay her creditors but God gave even more by supplying her family with sustenance for the days ahead.

But she also was not greedy. She didn’t fill her yard with jars and pots, only her house, and then shut the door, just she and her sons, to allow God to perform the miracle. She made sure she was alone with God; the Bible doesn’t even say Elisha was there!

This made sure the glory went to God, for He alone can perform the miracle!

What do you need to have filled today? He wants your empty vessel. He cannot fill you if you do not have room for Him! He will take your empty vessel, your talents, and your abilities and then He will use them for His glory. He can multiply until there are not enough vessels to contain the supply!

What can you believe for Him to do? Whatever the need, He is able. Bring before Him your empty vessel, empty of self-will, selfish desires, wants or greed. Then let the Lord fill that emptiness with Himself.

When God is all you have, then you will have more than you need.

 

Sharing with Wake Up Wednesday, Wedded Wednesday, Wise Woman Linkup, Winsome Wednesday, Homemaking Party, Thought Provoking Thursday, Time Travel Thursday, Thankful Thursday, Thriving Thursday, Family Fun Friday,  Fellowship Fridays, Faith Filled Friday, Weekend Brew, Modest Monday