2 Kings 4:1-6: a reflection

1Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared the LORD. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves.” 2Elisha said to her, “What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.” 3Then he said, “Go, borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Don’t borrow just a few containers. 4Go in and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour oil into all those containers; and set aside those which are full.” 5So she went from him, and shut the door on herself and on her sons. They brought the containers to her, and she poured oil. 6When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

A widow, deep in debt, comes to Elisha in desperation; the creditor is coming to take her two sons as slaves, and she has nothing, she says, except a small jar of oil. Elisha tells her to borrow empty vessels from all her neighbors, as many as she can, and then to shut the door and pour. She pours from her little jar, and the oil keeps flowing, filling vessel after vessel, until every one she has gathered is full, enough to pay her debt and live. Only when there are no more vessels does the oil stop.

Notice what God did with her little. She had almost nothing, only a small jar of oil; but God multiplied it, filling every vessel she brought, providing abundantly for her need out of that little. What she had was not enough in itself; but placed in God's hands, it became more than enough. And notice, too, that the oil filled as many vessels as she gathered; the provision matched what she made room to receive, and stopped only when the vessels ran out.

That speaks to our own need and our own little. We may feel we have almost nothing, that what we have is far too little for the need before us. But God is able to take our little and multiply it, to provide abundantly out of what seems too small. Bring your little to God, your small resources, your inadequate strength, your empty hands, and trust him to multiply it for your need. And, like the widow, make room to receive; gather the vessels in faith, expecting God to fill them. The God who filled every vessel the widow gathered can provide abundantly out of your little; bring it to him, and make room for what he will pour out.

Lord, the widow in debt had almost nothing, only a small jar of oil, but at your word she gathered empty vessels and poured, and you multiplied the oil to fill every one, enough to pay her debt and live. Speak to my own need and my own little. I may feel I have almost nothing, that what I have is far too little for the need before me. But you are able to take my little and multiply it, to provide abundantly out of what seems too small. Help me bring my little to you, my small resources, my inadequate strength, my empty hands, and trust you to multiply it for my need. And, like the widow, help me make room to receive, gathering the vessels in faith, expecting you to fill them. You who filled every vessel the widow gathered can provide abundantly out of my little; help me bring it to you, and make room for what you will pour out. I trust you to provide.