September 2, 2010
The question: How can I help you?
The answer: What do you have?
A widow lady, at the end of her rope, goes to Elisha. Her husband, a faithful loyal follower of God is dead. Her husband owed money to someone and that person showed no mercy to the widow. Instead, he threatened to take the only thing she had left—her two sons. She pleaded her case to Elisha, and Elisha asked her, "How can I help you? What do you have?" All she had was a pot of oil. So, Elisha tells her to gather as many empty pots from her neighbors as she could. Then she was to go into her house and close the door. Elisha told her to pour her oil into the jars, and set the full ones aside. The little oil she had filled ALL the jars. Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay her debts and live on the leftovers.
"How can I help you? What do you have?" Like the widow, we need to seek God's help. He wants to help us! We need to ask. God's help usually involves something we already have. The oil, in the widow's power and strength, wasn't going to do her much good. But the same oil, with God's power and strength, was abundantly more than she could have imagined. If we try and save ourselves with our own strength, forget it. But when what we have is surrendered to God? WOW! There is no limit. Isaiah 30 - "...the LORD longs to show compassion..."
God, we need your help in navigating "the storm." We ask for YOUR help. Show us what YOU want us to do. Bless us we pray.
Elisha and the Shunammite woman. The Shunammite woman was an important woman. She realized Elisha was a man of God and she went out of her way to extend to him her home and food. She even built an addition onto her home so he could have a comfortable place to stay. She was an important woman. She didn't need to open her home. She obviously was a mercy giver, thinking of others more than herself. She had no children. She had nothing to gain. She did what was right, just because it was the right thing to do.
"What can I do for you?" Sounds a lot like what Elisha asked the widow. ("How can I help you"?) She had done everything without expecting anything in return. When asked, she asked for nothing. Elisha's servant told Elisha she had no sons Elisha told her she would have a child. She was dumbfounded. Was Elisha joking? This was a deep hurt in her life, and they were now old. The Shunammite women was thinking, "Please don't joke about something so hurtful." It wasn't a joke, and a year later she had a son.
Years pass. Her son becomes sick, and he dies. The Shunammite woman prepares to go find Elisha. When her husband questions her she says, "It will be alright."
Elisha sees her coming and sends his servant to meet her to ask, "Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the boy all right?" Her reply? "Everything is all right." She went to Elisha and grabbed his feet, "Master, did I ask you for a son? Didn't I tell you not to lie to me?" Elisha immediately prepared to send his walking stick with his servant to lay on the boy. The Shunammite woman then said the exact same thing Elisha said to Elijah, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I won't leave you." Elisha left with the woman. He entered the child's room, prayed to the LORD, and the boy was healed.
The widow woman sought help to save her two sons from their debtor, "How can I help you?" God provided. The Shunammite had no children and was not seeking help. She was just doing the right thing, "What can I do for you?" Then Elisha/God blessed her socks off. Later when her son dies she responds that everything will be all right. She seeks Elisha. She says I never asked for this blessing. Are you taking what you have given away? Then, the statement, "I won't leave you." No anger. Just the truth, just the facts. I didn't ask. You gave. I'm committed.
God want us to ask Him for our needs. He also wants us to be happy with what we do or do not have and do the right thing just for the sake of doing the right thing. He notices and He blesses. And even if there are bumps in the road, He wants us to be committed. He will honor our commitment.
Elisha performed other miracles as well. He cared for the prophets, sustaining them even during hunger and food shortages. He relied on God. If the LORD said it, then he believed it. And the LORD provided.
Next Entry: II Kings 5:1 – 6:7
The question: How can I help you?
The answer: What do you have?
A widow lady, at the end of her rope, goes to Elisha. Her husband, a faithful loyal follower of God is dead. Her husband owed money to someone and that person showed no mercy to the widow. Instead, he threatened to take the only thing she had left—her two sons. She pleaded her case to Elisha, and Elisha asked her, "How can I help you? What do you have?" All she had was a pot of oil. So, Elisha tells her to gather as many empty pots from her neighbors as she could. Then she was to go into her house and close the door. Elisha told her to pour her oil into the jars, and set the full ones aside. The little oil she had filled ALL the jars. Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay her debts and live on the leftovers.
"How can I help you? What do you have?" Like the widow, we need to seek God's help. He wants to help us! We need to ask. God's help usually involves something we already have. The oil, in the widow's power and strength, wasn't going to do her much good. But the same oil, with God's power and strength, was abundantly more than she could have imagined. If we try and save ourselves with our own strength, forget it. But when what we have is surrendered to God? WOW! There is no limit. Isaiah 30 - "...the LORD longs to show compassion..."
God, we need your help in navigating "the storm." We ask for YOUR help. Show us what YOU want us to do. Bless us we pray.
Elisha and the Shunammite woman. The Shunammite woman was an important woman. She realized Elisha was a man of God and she went out of her way to extend to him her home and food. She even built an addition onto her home so he could have a comfortable place to stay. She was an important woman. She didn't need to open her home. She obviously was a mercy giver, thinking of others more than herself. She had no children. She had nothing to gain. She did what was right, just because it was the right thing to do.
"What can I do for you?" Sounds a lot like what Elisha asked the widow. ("How can I help you"?) She had done everything without expecting anything in return. When asked, she asked for nothing. Elisha's servant told Elisha she had no sons Elisha told her she would have a child. She was dumbfounded. Was Elisha joking? This was a deep hurt in her life, and they were now old. The Shunammite women was thinking, "Please don't joke about something so hurtful." It wasn't a joke, and a year later she had a son.
Years pass. Her son becomes sick, and he dies. The Shunammite woman prepares to go find Elisha. When her husband questions her she says, "It will be alright."
Elisha sees her coming and sends his servant to meet her to ask, "Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the boy all right?" Her reply? "Everything is all right." She went to Elisha and grabbed his feet, "Master, did I ask you for a son? Didn't I tell you not to lie to me?" Elisha immediately prepared to send his walking stick with his servant to lay on the boy. The Shunammite woman then said the exact same thing Elisha said to Elijah, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I won't leave you." Elisha left with the woman. He entered the child's room, prayed to the LORD, and the boy was healed.
The widow woman sought help to save her two sons from their debtor, "How can I help you?" God provided. The Shunammite had no children and was not seeking help. She was just doing the right thing, "What can I do for you?" Then Elisha/God blessed her socks off. Later when her son dies she responds that everything will be all right. She seeks Elisha. She says I never asked for this blessing. Are you taking what you have given away? Then, the statement, "I won't leave you." No anger. Just the truth, just the facts. I didn't ask. You gave. I'm committed.
God want us to ask Him for our needs. He also wants us to be happy with what we do or do not have and do the right thing just for the sake of doing the right thing. He notices and He blesses. And even if there are bumps in the road, He wants us to be committed. He will honor our commitment.
Elisha performed other miracles as well. He cared for the prophets, sustaining them even during hunger and food shortages. He relied on God. If the LORD said it, then he believed it. And the LORD provided.
Next Entry: II Kings 5:1 – 6:7
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