S) "3 Then he said, 'Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. 4 And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.' 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, 'Bring me another vessel.' And he said to her, 'There is not one vessel more.' And the oil stopped."
2 Kings 4:3-6 (NASB)
O) This story really, really grabbed me. This was a single-mother, widow of a prophet's son. She was in debt, in danger of losing her sons to slavery, when she comes to Elisha for help. It's the last verse here, that is so profound. First, Elisha tells the widow to get "vessels at large... from all... do not get a few." (emphasis added). Then, when we skip to v.6, we see why. God, through Elisha, gave this widow an incredible gift. He was essentially writing her a blank check! The oil didn't stop flowing, until after the last vessels were full! So, what would have happened if she had another ten vessels? Or another hundred vessels? A thousand more? Myriad more? More directly, what if Elisha had said the promise this way, "Get as many vessels as you can, because as soon as you fill the last vessel, the oil will stop." I mean, when he first gave the directions, I imagine she may have asked two or three neighbors. However, if she knew ahead of time, that however many vessels she gathered, would be filled...? What she received here, was directly limited by two things - her expectations and her preparations. With the two working together, a greater expectation and preparation, she would have thought to get more vessels, but not just thought - she actually would have obtained more vessels.
A) It is quite important to make two things clear. First, this is not an example of a "name and claim" or "prosperity gospel" that pervades certain churches. Second, this is not about greed. Financially speaking, the vessels this woman did gather, were plenty to get her out of debt and live on the remainder (see v.7). If I read this story and see that God is my provider (Jehovah Jireh), and I stop there, then I am surely more limited than the widow was. The point of this story, is to remind us that God is more than we can ever imagine. He is more powerful, more compassionate, more patient, more prosperous, more wise, more gracious, and more loving than we could ever even imagine Him to be (see Ephesians 3:20-21). When I come to God with my problem, with my circumstance, and I'm holding up the pieces of what was a hopelessly broken situation, and I beg Him to fix it, and I know He has the power to make it right, and I believe He will recreate what was shattered... am I still limiting God? Is my faith still so small? What if, while I'm clinging desperately to the disintegrated, hoping and praying and believing for the miracle of reconstitution... what if I am asking all the wrong questions? What if, instead of just meeting the need, God wants to surpass what I'm asking, beyond what I need? What if the thing God wants to give me, won't even fit in my hands? Can I dare to believe that the same God who loves me, and gives me grace in all things, would give me grace in all things? There is a careful balance, and I do not want this to become twisted into an entitled, haughty, evil thing. In humility and thankfulness we ask Him in our prayers (see Philippians 4:6). But, we need to remember that He is a Father. He is a good Father (see Matthew 7:11), and every good gift already comes from Him (see James 1:17), and it is all the same grace. So, I will let go of my version of "fixed" or "provided" and allow Him to be more. I will be bold to believe for more. I will even dare to expect more, and prepare for more.
P) Father, I just have no idea, the depths of Your grace, but I want to know. Unlock my heart, God, to believe tomorrow for things I couldn't imagine yesterday. In all things, let me be ever humble, ever thankful, submitting myself to Your sovereign will. And from that place, increase my faith, God. Open my eyes to see, my ears to hear, to understand what You mean when You say "large... all... not few." By Your will, I thank You for meeting all of my needs, and wanting to give me more. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
A) It is quite important to make two things clear. First, this is not an example of a "name and claim" or "prosperity gospel" that pervades certain churches. Second, this is not about greed. Financially speaking, the vessels this woman did gather, were plenty to get her out of debt and live on the remainder (see v.7). If I read this story and see that God is my provider (Jehovah Jireh), and I stop there, then I am surely more limited than the widow was. The point of this story, is to remind us that God is more than we can ever imagine. He is more powerful, more compassionate, more patient, more prosperous, more wise, more gracious, and more loving than we could ever even imagine Him to be (see Ephesians 3:20-21). When I come to God with my problem, with my circumstance, and I'm holding up the pieces of what was a hopelessly broken situation, and I beg Him to fix it, and I know He has the power to make it right, and I believe He will recreate what was shattered... am I still limiting God? Is my faith still so small? What if, while I'm clinging desperately to the disintegrated, hoping and praying and believing for the miracle of reconstitution... what if I am asking all the wrong questions? What if, instead of just meeting the need, God wants to surpass what I'm asking, beyond what I need? What if the thing God wants to give me, won't even fit in my hands? Can I dare to believe that the same God who loves me, and gives me grace in all things, would give me grace in all things? There is a careful balance, and I do not want this to become twisted into an entitled, haughty, evil thing. In humility and thankfulness we ask Him in our prayers (see Philippians 4:6). But, we need to remember that He is a Father. He is a good Father (see Matthew 7:11), and every good gift already comes from Him (see James 1:17), and it is all the same grace. So, I will let go of my version of "fixed" or "provided" and allow Him to be more. I will be bold to believe for more. I will even dare to expect more, and prepare for more.
P) Father, I just have no idea, the depths of Your grace, but I want to know. Unlock my heart, God, to believe tomorrow for things I couldn't imagine yesterday. In all things, let me be ever humble, ever thankful, submitting myself to Your sovereign will. And from that place, increase my faith, God. Open my eyes to see, my ears to hear, to understand what You mean when You say "large... all... not few." By Your will, I thank You for meeting all of my needs, and wanting to give me more. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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