The prophet Elisha and the miraculous
supply of oil challenges our faith today
Mark Woods
A
miraculous supply of olive oil speaks of God's spiritual provision for his
people.
In 2
Kings 4:1-7 we read the story of how a poor widow and her family were
miraculously preserved by the power of God. It is one of a number of stories
that speak to us of God's abundant care for His people.
This
one focuses on the prophet Elisha. He goes about with a band of disciples known
as "the company of the
prophets".
One
of them dies, leaving a widow and two sons. She is destitute and faces the
horrible prospect of her sons being sold into slavery to pay the family's
debts.
So
she appeals to Elisha, calling her husband "his servant" and highlighting the irony of her boys being forced into a far
worse form of servitude.
Elisha
asks how he can help her and what she has in her house. Nothing, she says,
before remembering: "Only a little oil."
Elisha tells her to go and ask her neighbours for empty jars, as many as they can
spare, and fill them all up from the jar that she has. The oil only stops
flowing when all the jars are full.
In
this strange short story we can see three things.
First, the woman thought she had nothing, but realized she still had
something to offer. God takes even our
smallest gifts and does something worthwhile with them.
Jesus
told the story of the widow's mite – the tiny coin she dropped into the temple
treasury that was worth more than all the showers of gold poured out by those
who could afford it.
And
we have the story of the boy with the loaves and two fishes that fed a
multitude. Never underestimate what God can do with your gift.
Second, do not limit what God can do by your lack of faith. It would have
been easy for the woman to assume God's supply was limited. In fact the only limitations were human, not
divine.
We
often live lives that are far more limited than they ought to be, spiritually
and in other ways. The temptation is to think we're only capable of what we
think we're capable of.
So we avoid putting ourselves in positions where our faith will be
challenged and stretched. We do not trust God to provide the resources we need, so we do
not ask him.
Third, God does not want us to be dominated
by the fear of poverty, failure and defeat. But neither does he want us to be
independent of him, reliant on our own abilities and resources.
Proverbs
30:8-9 says: "Give me neither
poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be
full and deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor and steal and
profane the name of my God."
There
are no limits to what God can do. We limit Him when we fail to trust Him.
And
He would rather we achieved less and continued to trust Him than achieved more
and forgot all about Him.
Would you want to have a deeper relationship with God?
God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience
an amazing change in your own life by receiving His Son, Jesus Christ, and
have eternal life.
Say the following prayer:
“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me
from You.
I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and live a new
life pleasing to You.
Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.
I believe that Your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was
resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.
I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in
my heart from this day forward. Thank You that according to your Word, I am now
born again.
Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your
will for the rest of my life. I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.
Please use me for Your glory.
In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.”
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“All
Things Are Possible”
Hillsong
Darlene Joyce Zschech
Darlene Joyce Zschech
lyrics
Almighty God, my RedeemerMy Hiding Place, my Safe Refuge
No other name like Jesus
No power can stand against You.
My feet are planted on this Rock
And I will not be shaken
My hope it comes from You alone
My Lord and my salvation.
Chorus:
Your praise is al - ways on my lips
Your word is living in my heart
And I will praise You with a new song
My soul will bless You, Lord
You fill my life with greater joy
Yes, I delight myself in You
And I will praise You with a new song
My soul will bless You, Lord.
Bridge:
When I'm weak
You make me strong
When I'm poor, I know I'm rich
For in the power of Your name
All things are possible
All things are possible
All things are possible
All things are possible
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