What is in Your House?

I Kings 4:1-7

What is in your house? Maybe some of you wish you could find something you KNOW in there somewhere – you just can’t figure out where! Has anyone else ever put something in a place so you will “know where it is” only to forget what “place” it was?

The widow in our scripture reading for today didn’t have much of a problem knowing what was in her house. Her possessions weren’t much. She was struggling to simply stay alive – and keep her two sons from being taken by her creditors.

Isn’t it interesting that Elisha doesn’t just hand her a solution from an outside source. Instead he asks her, “. . . what do you have in the house?” (v.2a) Her answer was simple and honest. “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” (v. 2b)

One jar of oil. What was that up against the impending disaster? It meant absolutely nothing until God rested His eyes upon it – intent upon using it as a source of deliverance.

He spoke through His servant Elisha – giving the widow a plan. Notice He didn’t reveal all of the plan at once. He simply gave her what to do next. It was up to her to obey – acting in faith.

Next step. Go get more vessels – lots of vessels. Come home, shut the door, and with you and your family begin pouring from your one jar of oil and fill the rest.

She didn’t question him, or wonder how in the world that would happen, she simply did as she was told. They borrowed vessels from everywhere – small vessels, big vessels, all the in between vessels – all of them EMPTY!

Once they were home and the door was shut, mama picked up the one simple jar of oil she had in the beginning. She began to pour, and the touch of God began to flow. “Bring me another . . . bring me another . . .” Can you imagine their amazement. Suddenly normal jar of oil had been transformed into the vessel of deliverance by God Himself. As their faith translated into obedience, the oil kept flowing.

Once the vessels were full and there were no others empty, the oil stopped flowing. What next? She needed to know, so the widow told Elisha what had happened.

Surely there must have been a celebration in that household. She and her sons had been saved. All they had to do was sell the oil, pay their debts, and live on the rest. God had provided the miracle they needed – using simply what was in their house.

What do we need today? We need the breath of the Spirit – the touch of God upon what He has given us. What is in our house? What can He use that He has given us? Ask Him. Listen. (It is not in “our will” but in “HIS WILL!”)Take the faith steps that bring the touch of His hand, the obedience to carry through what He has told you to do – and watch as He brings deliverance– transforming you, and using whatever you have in your house.

Written by: Janene A. Dubbeld/FGG

Take it with You

“So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out” (2 Kings 4:5).