Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Then he said, Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full. II Kings 4:3-4
As Long As We Believe
This scripture holds the story of a woman who was the widow of one of the Sons of the Prophets. The Sons of the Prophets was a group mentioned usually in association with the Prophet Elisha’s ministry. They were likely leaders at this time who were devoted to God and served Him.
This widow had debt and no way to pay. Because of the legal system in Israel, she could not declare bankruptcy, so she had to give her sons over as servants to her creditor to pay her debts. The Mosaic Law allowed for a creditor to enslave a debtor and their children to work off a debt. How awful that must have felt to that mother.
The widow called out to Elisha asking him to help her. Elisha asked her what she had, and the lady said nothing but a jar of oil. This was probably a small jar of oil for anointing, rather than a large jar of oil for cooking – so not much oil at all. Elisha told her to go borrow jars from her neighbors, a lot of jars. This kind of behavior likely made her neighbors think she had gone off the deep end. They were sure to ask questions – why on earth would she need THIS many jars? She didn’t care, because she did it in faith. She trusted the word of God through the prophet, and she was desperate to see the promise fulfilled. Sometimes we have to be desperate to be spurred into action.
Elisha told the woman to take what she had – one jar of oil – and pour that out into the borrowed vessels. As she did this, the oil miraculously kept pouring from her small jar until all the borrowed jars were filled. When she was done, she had so much oil! Like the story of the armies in chapter 3 who dug the trenches when there was no rain in sight, she gathered jars trusting the promise that God would fulfill His promise. She had to step out in faith. She had to do the thing that did not make sense to anyone else.
This is the picture of God's provision for our debts. Note that there was enough in the pouring jar to fill to the level of the faith of the woman. As long as she continued to pour, for as long as she had empty jars, the oil kept coming. As long as we trust and believe completely in God to fulfill His promises in our lives, He will. It may not be the way we want Him to do it, but it will be the very best way – the way that is the best for us.
You think your life is irreparable? God is in the business of big answers. He likes to come through in impossible situations because He is glorified, and the testimony of faith is great. What are you calling out about? What debt? Are you collecting jars because you believe wholeheartedly in His promises? Maybe it is time to do something that no one understands because you are so tired of living under the pressure of the debts. It is there for us when our faith vision is ready to engage and respond.
You have God in the measure in which you desire Him. Only remember that the desire that brings God must be more than a feeble, fleeting wish. Wishing is one thing; willing is quite another. Lazily wishing and strenuously desiring are two entirely different postures of mind; the former gets nothing, and the latter gets everything, gets God, and with God all that God can bring. (MacLaren)
