What do you HAVE?

 

I learned a valuable lesson from the Bible story of a widow that we read about in 2 Kings 4:1-7.

 

The story is about a woman whose husband died and dramatically her life changed. Subsequently, the widow fell into debt and the creditors were ruthless and demanded her sons as assets or collateral. She became desperate and cries to Elisha, an anointed prophet of God, for help.Elisha asks her what she had of value to sell. She said she had nothing except a jar of oil. The prophet then asked her to borrow as many jars as she could from her neighbors and start pouring the oil into the jars. She obeyed and the oil kept flowing as though from a bottomless jar and ceased only when there were no more jars to fill. The prophet asked her to sell the oil, and clear her debt and live with the remaining.

Here God performed a miracle – multiplying one jar of oil into many jars of oil and provided for the needs of the family in abundance. Although there are so many lessons that I learnt from this passage, I would like to share just one thought which deeply touched my heart.

It is the question what the prophet Elisha asked her, “WHAT DO YOU HAVE?” When the prophet asked this question to her, she could have replied with the things she lacked but she decided to open up her emptiness before the prophet and said “nothing EXCEPT a jar of oil”.  The widow was ready to do something with the little jar of oil that was left and God did a miracle.

We often compare with others’ and grumble about things we DO NOT HAVE but rarely we look at the little things that we HAVE and take it to God in faith, believing Him to do a miracle. We need to get ready to do something with the little that is left in us, the small desire to do something for God, the little hope that is left, the insignificant talent we have. God can do wonders with the little left in us. The widow never questioned the prophet when he asked to borrow jars, but she obeyed. A step of faith, obedience and submission to God can do wonders!

Here’s what I want to leave with you – When everything around seems chaotic and doors are closing, when there is reason for losing hope, do we still believe God is in control to change the situation?   In our eyes, the little that we have may not be enough for anything or be “just a little something”, but when you give it to God, He can bring forth a miracle through it.

 

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