Today in my readings I reached one of my favourite stories in the Scripture. It concerns Elisha, the prophet who had shadowed Elijah before he was taken up to heaven. Here is how the story starts;

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 Kings 4:1 (NIV)

We don’t why the woman’s husband was in debt, but because of his death the woman is now in a difficult situation. She is about to lose her two sons to slavery and she is hoping Elisha can help. I’m not sure what she expects Elisha to do but I don’t think she was prepared for how he intended to answer her problem.

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.” 2 Kings 4:1 (NIV)

This is a brilliant moment. Elisha starts by asking her what she has in her house. This may seem like an insensitive question given that she is in such desperate need. The lady initially says she had nothing in her house at all that can be used. If you had just listened to that part you’d think the story was over, there was nothing that could be done, fin. But then there is the big EXCEPT. The woman who had initially said she had nothing says that she has a small jar of olive oil. It’s incredible where the story goes from there.

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.” 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. 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.” 2 Kings 4:3-7 (NIV)

There is so much in this story – here are a few things I am learning from reading this;

1 – God’s provision is closer than we think – When we are up against it we often look for God to supernaturally provide in our lack. In my own life I expect that provision to come in a gush of crazy wind that I have no control over but so often that is not the way that He does it. I have noticed it seems to happen in the same way it did for the widow in the story where God takes what we already have and brings multiplication through those means.

2 – We must take responsibility – Whilst her jar was the beginning of His provision, she had to take responsibility for what was about to happen by going and asking her neighbours for empty jars. I’m not sure how easy or hard that would have been for her but she did it. God didn’t do all the work here, she had to participate with Him. She had to be as invested in the process as He was.

3 – He will fill what we give Him to fill – the supernatural oil in the story only fills what she offers. After the jars are filled God doesn’t start creating empty jars and fill them too. It’s not that He couldn’t do that, it would be well within His power, but He often only chooses to fill what we present as empty before Him.

I’m not sure where we are feeling lack today. Maybe like the widow it is in finance or food, maybe it is in another area of our life. I would encourage you to look at what God has given you and offer that big EXCEPT before God and allow Him to fill you.