Our Little Faith and Possession Multiplied; 2 Kings 4

May the mumbling commence!

Whatever we have, the Lord will multiply exponentially when we walk in His ways and devote our lives unto Him.  Read the story of Elisha and the widow from 2 Kings 4:

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves."

Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil." 

Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few.  Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side." 

She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.  When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one."

But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing. 

She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left." (Verses 1-7)

I have nothing… except a little oil.  How often do we claim to have nothing to offer?  Quite a lot, I think, when we feel in desperate need for help.  Yet, when the widow came to Elisha, Elisha asked her what she had.  That may seem cruel, but it is an invitation to faith and an invitation to open her eyes and see the answer to her prayers.  Answers to prayer rarely come as they are expected, so the answers must be searched for during and after our times of prayer.

The widow had a little oil.  So, Elisha commanded her to canvass the neighborhood for empty jars.  Not only did the widow have something that she thought was of little use but the neighbors also had something that they thought had little use.  But, when the community gathers together to support a vulnerable family, God does miraculous things.  That little but of oil kept flowing until all the empty jars in the neighborhood were filled.  Then, the oil was sold, and the money was used to pay her debts and to give her and her sons plenty to live on.

So, what do you have to offer to God?  Stinginess will mean death and defeat.  Generosity and sharing your gifts will mean abundance.  The choice is ours to make.  Let us give freely and trust in the Lord.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out