Happy Monday, dear friends!

 

We’re continuing our summer series, Loaves & Fishes. We’re exploring stories of God’s provision to remind us how our Abba Father cares for us and invites us trust Him, even in uncertain or tough times.

 

In today’s Old Testament story, God comes through in a powerful way for a woman who was about to lose her sons. We’ll also address a very important secondary lesson that you may need today as well. Don’t miss it!

 

In 2 Kings 4, we’re introduced to an unnamed widow. We find out her late husband was a prophet, a messenger for God. She comes to the prophet Elisha, a powerful figure in the Old Testament with a desperate plea: 

 

 

According to Jewish law, if someone was in debt, their family members could be taken as payment and forced into labor. So, this woman was about to lose her sons. 

 

The widow was not only grieving, but also overwhelmed by the inability to pay her debt, and now the fear of more loss. Ancient women didn’t have their own money, social security, or government assistance. Therefore, losing her sons would be tragic on several levels. In addition to the familial bond, those sons would have been her future financial support, potentially keeping her from becoming destitute.

 

Can you relate to the downward domino effect of her life? Often, it’s not one thing that goes wrong, it feels like everything goes wrong! Those seasons seem overwhelming. We’re not sure what to do and often, we become discouraged and afraid.

 

This is why I love Elisha’s response to the woman’s outcry:

 

 

Bless him! Elisha didn’t tell the woman to calm down or minimize her problems. He gave her a voice and asked what she needed. Then Elisha posed a question similar to the one that Jesus asked the overwhelmed disciples before he performed the miracle that fed 5,000 people: “What do you have?”

 

In fact, the miracle that follows for this woman has a similar vibe to Jesus’ feeding the five thousand. Just like the little boy only had two fish and five loaves, the woman only had a flask of oil – it wasn’t much. However, there’s nothing too little for God to work with!

 

Pay attention to what Elisha told her to do. Also, notice everyone (underlined) involved in what happens next:

 

 

 

First, God didn’t show the needed provision all at once. As the widow poured from what she had, God made the miracle happen. (Remember the devotion of the feeding of 5,000 – same vibe!)

 

Here’s the final result: Her little flask of oil was poured until every jar was filled. Then, Elisa gave her these instructions:

 

 

Not only did God provide enough for her debts to keep her sons from slavery, but also, there was enough for their future. Look at God!

 

 

 

Elisha told the widow that she needed to borrow as many empty jars as she could from friends and neighbors. It wasn’t like the widow had money to buy extra jars from Target or HomeGoods. Going to friends and neighbors would have meant telling them about her true circumstances. There would have been awkward questions, maybe even embarrassment, gossip, or shame.

 

Imagine if she’d only gone to one or two friends. I can’t say for sure, but I think God would still have performed the miracle, though she may have missed out God’s very best planned for her.

 

 

If you’ve done my Surrendered Bible study, there’s story on page 146 about when my girlfriends asked to help me move out due to my then-spouse’s out-of-control alcohol addiction. I didn’t want their help. I was embarrassed. My family was falling apart and I  needed  to move from my large home into a two-bedroom apartment. Even though the move was too big for me to handle with my kids, I thought that I could deal with it so no one would be around to see me fall apart. 

 

My dear girlfriends were gently persistent. Two weeks before the move, there was a breakthrough moment during my time with God. Here’s how I wrote about it in my Surrendered study: 

 

 

 

That day, I said yes to my friends. Then, a group of men from my church’s Celebrate Recovery ministry also asked if they could help. I was still embarrassed, but grateful.  I said yes. At the end of moving day and an ocean of tears, one of the men said to me: “Years ago, I messed up my family. Helping you today healed something inside of me. So, thank you for letting me help you.”

 

To this day, I’m grateful that God sent friends to nudge me through my embarrassment and pride so that God could use them to bless us. It wasn’t just how friends showed up to help us move, but they were there – present and praying for us before, during, and after.