2 Kings 4:1-7
This passage records the story of Elisha and the miraculous supply of oil for a poor widow. Her husband had been a faithful servant of the Lord, but he died and left her with two sons. She had no way to pray her debts, and the creditor was coming to take her two sons as collateral. The woman quickly found herself between a rock and a hard place, so she reached out to Elisha for help. He asked her, “What do you have in your house?” She told him that she had nothing but a little jar of oil. He then sent her on a mission to collect as many containers from her neighbors as she possibly could find. Afterward, he told her to begin pouring the oil into the containers. Miraculously, the oil was multiplied many times over and she filled up each container. The miracle ceased when she had no other empty vessel to fill.
This story reminds us that God often begins with what we already have in our possession. Moses had nothing but a stick, yet God used it as a mighty instrument. David had a small sling, yet the Lord used it to defeat the giant. A young boy had nothing but a few loaves and some fish, but Jesus used it to feed a hungry multitude. All that this widow had was a tiny jar of oil, but in the hands of God it became much. Little is always much when God is in it!
The Lord doesn’t always perform a miracle of this kind to help us pay our debts, but He has promised to meet our needs when we trust Him and obey. We must simply take what we have and surrender it to Him. This miracle reminds us of the greatest miracle of all—the gracious forgiveness of our sin debt that has been paid in full by the sacrifice of Jesus.
For more, read John 6:1-15
