“Now a woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow containers elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. Then you shall come in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour into all these containers; and you shall set aside what is full.” So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped. So she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” (2 Kings 4:1-7 NASB)
When you have a question, you go to the One who is referred to as The Answer. When you have need for a problem to be solved, you go to God, the Problem Solver. When you need strength to persevere, you can go to God’s word. I’m sure that many individuals reading this meditation on this Friday morning have a need for such a word. So let’s pull some profitable teachings from the passage above. This is a familiar passage, usually referred to as “The Widow’s Oil,” but we can use it as an approved shot in the arm that will provide strength for us to persevere or as they used to say, to “keep on keeping on.”
This is a story of a woman of faith; one of the wives of the prophets. This woman’s story, embedded in God’s word will impart strength to you. Look at what she did! In her hard times, she surmised that she needed to reach out to God. She chose to do so by calling on Elisha, the man of God to reach someone who had a connection with Heaven and the throne of power; link with the place where resources are unlimited. This woman, she did not have a supply of food – only a jar of oil. She did not have a support agency in her community to help her out. She did not have savings in a 401k or bank account to resort to in order to sustain her and her two sons. She did not have a stimulus check or the hope of one to hold her over just a little while longer. She had no strategyof her own related to a remedy for her situation.
This woman, she did not have sight to see a good ending, but really who needs it when we walk by faith and not by sight! Nevertheless, this woman like many in our contemporary times, she was about to lose here staying power. But hold on! The story gets better! One’s story always gets better when God is part of it.
While this woman could not see something happening in the right now to help her, God was working it out in the not yet to sustainher, renew her strength, and solve her problem. Help was not there at first, but Help was on the way! Did you see what happened? God saved her, working through His prophet, from her situation! God saved her so much so, that that not only were her needs supplied, but she was blessed with a surplus.
Look! When things look the gloomiest; when your gladness has already abandoned you; when good news is not getting aired on the morning news, and when you get to the point where persevering is a great challenge, go to the Lord and wait on Him to step into your situation, strengthen you, set you up with help, and to renew you strength.
That was a woman’s story. Now look at your story. God is in your story too! In the past He graciously gave you the strength to press on in your predicament. In your present, He is just a prayer away and yes, He is your strength and salvation! Yes, He is a very present help in times of trouble! Yes, He will renew your strength! And as far as your future, no matter what you are facing as a believer, God has already assured you that “better” is ahead for you! If you need strength during the pandemic, the predicament, your personal issue, or your prolonged furlough, look to God! Be blessed!
“…but those who wait upon the Lordshall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles,they shall run and not be weary,and they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 MEV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King