October 3 & 4, 2009
In this installment of my Messages About Purpose and Strategy, I'll quote from a great article I read by Chuck Bentley. It's called "Learning to Trust in God's Provision."
"We hear it in the news every day. Many Americans are losing their jobs, their homes or their retirement funds. Financial worries are everywhere, and even though some experts are reporting that the economy may be recovering, almost everyone acknowledges that there is still a long way to go. Our current economic situation may be new to us, but financial difficulties are not new. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, the Bible tells the story of a widow whose husband had died, leaving her with the burden of his unpaid debts. Not only that, but the creditor was threatening to take her two sons into slavery in order to pay the debts. The widow had limited resources and faced an impossible situation. She did the only thing she knew to do. She cried out for help. She went to Elisha, the prophet of God, and told him of her situation. Elisha asked her a crucial question: "What do you have in your house?" The widow replied that she had nothing but a little oil. She probably thought this small thing was of no consequence compared to the enormous problem she faced. However, God had a plan to use what the widow had. Elisha instructed her to borrow jars from her neighbors and to fill each jar with her oil. The widow followed his instructions, and a miracle occurred. The little amount of oil she had continued to fill each jar until there were no empty jars left. The widow was then able to sell the oil to others and gain income to pay her husband's creditor. There was even enough money left for the widow and her sons to live on. God wants us to trust in His provision for our needs, and sometimes that provision requires us to step out in faith and use what resources He has given us. It may not seem like a lot to us, but God can multiply the efforts when we trust Him."
"We hear it in the news every day. Many Americans are losing their jobs, their homes or their retirement funds. Financial worries are everywhere, and even though some experts are reporting that the economy may be recovering, almost everyone acknowledges that there is still a long way to go. Our current economic situation may be new to us, but financial difficulties are not new. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, the Bible tells the story of a widow whose husband had died, leaving her with the burden of his unpaid debts. Not only that, but the creditor was threatening to take her two sons into slavery in order to pay the debts. The widow had limited resources and faced an impossible situation. She did the only thing she knew to do. She cried out for help. She went to Elisha, the prophet of God, and told him of her situation. Elisha asked her a crucial question: "What do you have in your house?" The widow replied that she had nothing but a little oil. She probably thought this small thing was of no consequence compared to the enormous problem she faced. However, God had a plan to use what the widow had. Elisha instructed her to borrow jars from her neighbors and to fill each jar with her oil. The widow followed his instructions, and a miracle occurred. The little amount of oil she had continued to fill each jar until there were no empty jars left. The widow was then able to sell the oil to others and gain income to pay her husband's creditor. There was even enough money left for the widow and her sons to live on. God wants us to trust in His provision for our needs, and sometimes that provision requires us to step out in faith and use what resources He has given us. It may not seem like a lot to us, but God can multiply the efforts when we trust Him."
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