In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we read: The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha,
“Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord.
But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars.
Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.
Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons.
They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.”
Then the oil stopped flowing.
She went and told the man of God, and he said,
“Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
When I read in 2 Kings 4 about the woman who came to Elisha asking for help it reminded me of how I feel about the many projects we have in front of us. We've been steadily working toward this point for almost 3 years. We currently have a small amount of "oil" to fill a large amount of vessels/projects. With projects ready to be funded, in the DR, and in Guatemala, and more in progress, my thought today is how will God fill these "vessels" so these businesses can begin to help transform their communities. We are filling each one - one at time. Moving from vessel to vessel and carefully preparing it to go on to the next stage. Just like the widow we have some "oil", but many more vessels to be filled.
People will sometimes say to us that they are encouraged by the risky things we've done.
Is our faith in following God's call on our life that unusual? I say we are more encouraged by God's provision for us.
More encouraged by those who give faithfully and abundantly to God in supporting missions and kingdom work.
Living outside of the US this year has so obviously been God 's plan for us. As we look back on successes and failures...
...spending the last 36 months investing our talents...
...and seeing others join in the work every step of the way.
Now we know we can THRIVE on whatever God provides.
So we gather the vessels and start pouring the oil.
Let's see what God does.
- Joe
People will sometimes say to us that they are encouraged by the risky things we've done.
Is our faith in following God's call on our life that unusual? I say we are more encouraged by God's provision for us.
More encouraged by those who give faithfully and abundantly to God in supporting missions and kingdom work.
Living outside of the US this year has so obviously been God 's plan for us. As we look back on successes and failures...
...spending the last 36 months investing our talents...
...and seeing others join in the work every step of the way.
Now we know we can THRIVE on whatever God provides.
So we gather the vessels and start pouring the oil.
Let's see what God does.
- Joe
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