March 2011
Dear Friends,
God had me hungry for more of 2 Kings 4:1-7 this month. I knew He wanted to teach me more than what I understood, so every day I kept reading it and asking friends “what is God telling you in this story?” He has more for me than the obvious and I cannot leave these verses until He reveals further truth to my heart. First, you read the story…
1 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.” 2 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 small jar of olive oil.” 3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 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.” 5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 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. 7 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.”
God taught me several things…
1. Identify what we have. The prophet asked the widow for what she had and God used what little she had, multiplied the oil, and met her needs. We all have something, whether material possessions, talents, skills or abilities. What am I not using for His glory? What am I considering too insignificant to be used for God’s glory?
2. Sell anything we can to help pay off debt. We can sell our jewelry, furniture, clothes, televisions, whatever someone else will purchase. Consider yard sales, Craigslist, Ebay, friends, etc. The widow in the story did what she could do.
3. Share your journey with others. When we share our lives with others, God can lead people to help as He directs. Many of us struggle through life, never sharing our difficulties, because we never want to be a burden to someone else. Who wants to be or be known as the leach, moocher or “needy” friend? But, people who love us want to help, and if they have the love of Christ in them, they are commanded to do so. God has shown me that we all need a community of other Christ-followers who will encourage us, love us and put their own necks on the line for us. I think it is easier to love others than to let others love me. The widow needed her community… remember they loaned her all the jars she needed. Jars were likely not easy to come by and were essential in daily life. So it was probably a sacrifice for neighbors and friends to loan them to her. When someone sacrifices for you, remember that sacrifice might be an essential part of their journey with Christ at that moment.
4. Don’t cling to your stuff or your time. God can free us from the grips of greed, wanting more and excess. It really is ok to have only what we need. We do not need the latest electronic gadget or a new dress for Easter. Stuff does not matter. Also, our time is for God’s use and not our own. If people need to talk to us for two hours or ten minutes, we should be ok and willing to share the love of Christ no matter what time sacrifice that requires. God can use our time and make it count. How much time have we wasted watching television, playing video games, sleeping late or on Facebook? It took time for the widow to go collect the jars, but she obeyed. She used her last bit of oil, trusting God to use it for her good and for His glory. Do we trust Him with everything or hold tightly to our home, our vehicle, or even the food in our freezer and pantry?
5. Appreciate the hardships. Through her hardship, she became desperate. In her desperation she cried out for help. God heard her cry and provided for all her needs. In trials we see God fight for us and in the end it is for good. A friend shared how Corrie ten Boom praised God for fleas in the Nazi concentration camp because they caused the guards to stay out and they were able to worship the Lord freely. The widow was able to see God work after she thought all hope was gone.
6. Debt can come from calamities God allows. The widow’s husband was one of the few men of that day that stood for God and shunned evil. He knew debt was wrong in God’s eyes, but for some reason he was trapped there and could not free his family from its grip before he died. God showed me that this man who loved God, was in debt, of possibly no fault of his own, and because of his obedience in life, God provided after his death. I imagine the godly man lived by faith, trusting God would provide a way out of the debt even though he died before he was able to see what he believed God had promised. God was not finished with the man’s family when he died and God is not finished with us either, even if we never see the fullness of His promises. Maybe God intended to use his life to encourage the remnant of people that believed, who would come to know of the miracle of all the debts being paid and spur them on in their faith journey.
7. We are called by God to pour out our lives for His glory until God comes for us. We have no time to sit on our laurels. We have one short life to live and it will end sooner rather than later. I have always felt amazing urgency in my life. It is hard to explain. When God leads, I must immediately act. Time is of the essence in my heart and that is probably why it is hard for me to chill. I see what is left to do and know that for this one person it matters. Someone once asked me “you know you can’t change the world Jenny, why do you try?” And God reminded me of the child throwing the starfish back into the ocean… it mattered to that one and to that one. I know Jenny cannot change the world, but God can one person at the time and if I can encourage just five other people to share Christ with five other people, it will have mattered. He gives us the Holy Spirit that never runs out so we can keep filling others’ jars with the love of Christ. Are we pouring out our lives to share Christ?
8. Share the Gospel. Just imagine how many people that widow told of how God miraculously provided so much oil that she was able to pay off all her debts! We have Jesus and we walk with Him and trust Him every day. How can we not share what Christ has done in our hearts and in our lives? Pass the good news forward. If you do not know Jesus, please ask your food delivery friend how to meet Him. Jesus wants to live in relationship with you. He died for you to forgive you of all the things you have done wrong. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. He wants to be the Lord of your life. He wants all your dependency and trust to be in Him alone. He wants to lavish you with love and be your God.
9. God is enough. Money is just paper to Him. He cares more that we understand the intensity of His love for us. He did a miracle because He loved the widow. It was more about His love for her and her sons than about whether the debt was paid. He heard her cry for help and He answered.
Take the challenge to spend time in the Word this week. God has so much to teach us. He is our guide, encourager and friend. He provides, protects and refines us. We can trust Him.
Let us walk by faith and not by sight,
Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”