Your Help is Closer than You Think

2 Kings 4:1-7 Look inside and find all that you need.

2 Kings 4:1-7 "(1) Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, "My husband who was your servant has died. As you know, he gave honor to the Lord. Now a man to whom he owed money has come. That man wants to take my two sons as his slaves. (2) And Elisha said unto her, "How can I help you? What do you have at home?" "I have nothing except a small jar of oil," she answered. (3)Elisha said, "Go. Ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Get as many jars as you can." (4) Then go inside. And shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars. Put each one aside as soon it is full." (5) So the woman went into her house with her sons. And she shut the door. The sons brought all the jars to her and she continued to pour. (6) When all the jars were full, the woman asked one son to bring her another jar. But he replied, "There are no more jars." Then the oil stopped flowing. (7) The woman went and she told Elisha. He told her to go and sell the oil so that she could pay her debts. There would be enough money for her and her sons to live on.

Have you ever found yourself in a trying situation where you faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle that made you feel hopeless and helpless? Imagine getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and having to walk ten miles in the sweltering heat to the nearest service station to get help only to discover that the business is closed when you get there. Such situations make us feel like there is no way out and often cause us to doubt that our situation could ever change.

In the fourth chapter of second Kings, a woman faced a similar obstacle when her husband died and left her in a great deal of debt. Widowed and broke, the woman had two choices: 1) pay the debt or 2) subject her sons to slavery until the debt was paid. Desperate, the woman turned to the great prophet Elisha for assistance. Since the woman knew that God had appointed Elisha to Israel at that time, she trusetd that God would give Elisha the power to help her.

Elisha's reply was to tell the woman to use what she had at home. Knowing that she only had one small jar of oil, the woman was skeptical of Elisha's advice; however, her faith in God compelled her to follow Elisha's instructions. So, she went home to borrow jars from her neighbors and began to pour oil from her small jar into all of the jars that she borrowed. The Bible says that she had enough oil to fill all of the jars, pay her debt, and have extra money to live on. 

The story about the widow and the oil provides great teaching moments for us as believers. 

• First, it shows us that when faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, we must turn to God for help. Instead of trying to figure out what to do on her own, the widow went to Elisha, the man of God, knowing that God would send a message through him that would get her out of a messy situation. 
• Secondly, she had faith that God would speak through Elisha and provide a way. To receive God's instructions, we must tap into the messages that God sends through his prophets and have the obedience to follow those instructions. This requires faith and a respect for the man of God. 
• Thirdly, we must be willing to follow God's instructions regardless of how bizarre they sound. God is a God of miracles and he cannot be confined to our earthly, mundane expectations. Recall Mark 6:30-44 when Jesus fed 5000 people with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. Jesus overcame a seemingly insurmountable obstacle because he had faith that God's resources were sufficient and that God would supply whatever he required. Similarly, the widow had faith in God so she listened to Elisha even though that meant doing something as bizarre as acquiring more debt by borrowing jars from her neighbors. Why? Because her faith in God was so strong that she put herself in a seemingly reckless position, and it's a good thing that she did. Once she began to pour the oil, she had more than enough to pay off her husband's debt and to live on. 

This story demonstrates how much God cares about us and shows that when we put our trust in God by obeying His word, He will meet all of our needs (Philippians 4:19). Remember, no matter the task that lies ahead, there is nothing too hard for God. He is the Lord, the God of all flesh. Nothing is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:27). There is no promise too hard for God to keep; there is no prayer too hard for God to answer; there is no problem too hard for God to solve; and there is no person too hard for God to save. Put your trust in God, follow his message, and He will give you more than enough. #itsinthebook!

Prayer for Trust in God

Lord, sometimes I want to give up. 

My burdens are overwhelming.

I don't seem to ever catch up. I can't seem to get started.

Strengthen me to stand up knowing you are always with me.

Fall fresh on me today so I can find my joy and peace again.

Restore the broken places in my life.

Give me the motivation and energy to do your will.

Teach me your way and your will.

Speak to me in a way that I would understand and obey.

Send the right people in my life to be a source of love, guidance and opportunities.

Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace.

Thank you for favor in this season.

Thank you for more than enough.

I know that nothing is too hard for you and that in you I have all that I need.

I stand on your promises and I believe that your word is true.

In Jesus' name.

Amen

#dailydoseofJesus

Be Blessed!  

Read the entire passage here --> 2 Kings 4:1-7