One day the wife of a man from the guild of prophets called out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead. You well know what a good man he was, devoted to God. And now the man to whom he was in debt is on his way to collect by taking my two children as slaves."
Elisha said, "I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have in your house?"
"Nothing," she said. "Well, I do have a little oil."
"Here's what you do," said Elisha. "Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls from all your neighbors. And not just a few—all you can get. Then come home and lock the door behind you, you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when each is full, set it aside."
She did what he said. She locked the door behind her and her sons; as they brought the containers to her, she filled them. When all the jugs and bowls were full, she said to one of her sons, "Another vessel, please."
He said, "That's it. There are no more vessels."
Then the oil stopped.
She went and told the story to the man of God. He said, "Go sell the oil and make good on your debts. Live, both you and your sons, on what's left." 2 Kings 4:1-7
I love stories of miraculous supply, don't you? Widows in those days were considered hopeless and in this case she was on the verge of losing everything even her two sons. She made her appeal to the prophet Elisha telling him, what the prophet already knew. "My husband was good man who served and feared the Lord". It is as though she insinuates, "Where has that gotten us"? What the prophet did was help her come into cooperation with God in her dire situation. He asked her what did she have in her house? It certainly seems like an unusual question in light of what was taking place. What was going on in here? LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT. What God desires is our cooperation. Do your remember what God was able to do with a boy's lunch, he fed thousands and the boy took all the left overs home with him. (When it is not enough to meet the need, maybe it is a seed.) you, "I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandoned or his descendants pleading for bread."
Elisha told the widow to go borrow vessels, NOT JUST A FEW. Why, in other words, don't just expect to barely get by but expect a miracle. Believe God for more than enough.
WHAT SHE DID BY FAITH CREATED HER OWN STIMULUS.
(God multiplied the oil and prospered her. Are you cooperating with God?)
We Believe In You,
Pastor Cleddie & GayNell