I have nothing... but a jar of oil

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Published on Wednesday, 26 May 2010 02:00

"So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what you have in the house? And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil “(2 Kings 4:2, NKJV).

At that time, there was no social system as we know it today, and widows had no one who would stand for them. Creditors should have even taken her two sons into slavery, not to mention the fact that they themselves didn’t have anything to eat. Despite the lack which was apparent in the life of this widow, the prophet asks quite a strange question, "What do you have in the house?"

I believe this story can also be a picture of the church. The Church is the house of God. Church is the place of abundance and God's blessing, but despite this it can sometimes pass through a period of lack. But God's question remains the same: "What do you have in the house?" One of the fastest growing U.S. churches of pastor Tommy Barnett found a simple recipe on how to serve his city. Pastor Barnett recalls how members of the church came to him and said: "Pastor, there is a large Hispanic community in our town; we should do something for them." Barnett smiled and said: "Amen, God has revealed it to you, therefore I believe that He is calling you to this. I make you responsible for service to Hispanic community”. Similarly, it was also with the homeless, orphaned, or other ethnic groups. It's amazing what gifts are deposited in the church.

The widow thought that she has nothing in the house... like many of us in the middle of lack. But then she remembered a small jar of oil. The prophet immediately responded: "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors-empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones. So she went from him and the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.” (2 Kings, 4:3-6, NKJV).

Do not say you have nothing. This is not true. Maybe from your subjective point of view it looks like that, but God has put His own Spirit into you and gave you an adequate number of talents. Start to serve others and see how the oil will multiply. As long as you continue to bring vessels, the oil will never cease!