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2 Kings 4:1 “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.”
There is an urgency to share my thoughts because believers need to comprehend the ways of God and grow, the moment calamity hits the roof, they think we have sinned, God is bad, God has forgotten us or what wrong did I do? During our 5am group prayer (Booster group), one particular highly educated young man early morning shared what happened the previous day. While his friend was dropping him after work, they saw a big snake cross the road just before them and few other disturbing things happened. All the while he wondered, 'why did this happen to me despite me dutifully attending 5am prayers everyday, have I sinned in any way, is God angry with me.' I pointed out one thing to him, I said, "you are alive right now, untouched by the snake, hale and healthy to share this incident because God protected you." Amen.
However, from the above scripture, I would like to clearly point out the situation of the widow:
• She was the widow of a prophet
• Widow of a good man who feared God
• She came seeking help to the right place – prophet Elisha
• Though the situation was very desperate, she still faithfully sought the Lord for help
• Widow’s husband had died in debts and poor
• Widow’s husband was servant of prophet Elisha
• He belonged to a company of prophets, he was not alone
• Had died leaving 2 sons
• Cruel creditors were conniving to take his 2 sons as slaves
Now you might wonder why would a good man and his family go through all this? Let me quote: Philippians 1:29 “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” Wait till the end…..
ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR:
This was a challenge that had come to Prophet Elisha and we see how strategically he handled it. He asked her what she had and planned to use that for abundance, hallelujah! He told her “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.”(verse 3) Elisha could have prayed to God to miraculously give a big drum and could have filled the drum with oil; however, this miracle was planned not to bless just the widow and her sons but the entire community. More empty jars were asked not to just have more oil but to reach out to as many people as possible. Glory! Lesson: God is using you to spread the Gospel and the aroma of Christ through your life. Clap hands for God!
He asked the widow to shut the door along with her sons and “Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” No questions were asked:” from where will the oil come, which way will it come, nothing – she obeyed. Oil started flowing miraculously into all the jars : the sons saw it along with their mom. They are not going to be ordinary people after this, they would be prophets too like their dad – a true one.
Consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.1 Peter 5:10
Circulate this sermon far and wide, will you?
Author:
Sis Bala Samson
Founder and Principal
Abide School
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