A Jar of Oil

A Jar of Oil

“Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”  2 Kings 4:2b

Here is an email sent to a friend seeking God's heart as she endeavors to begin a new business with nothing "except a jar of oil"  ....

In the midst of having my devotion after a very long night.  Here are some thoughts I would like to share with you, you may have done this already and if you have perhaps this could simply serve as a confirmation:

If God has given you this task - then He will give you a vision for it.

Ask Him for the vision for it - write it out - Get His "Word" on it and write that down too.

This will enable you to withstand the distractions and discouragement that comes your way.

If this is just a passing fleeting great "idea" the Lord will also reveal that to You and pray that He does not give you a vision for it ... instead it would be distasteful and you would shut it down.  

I wish I had learned earlier on to catch the vision that God was giving me and stick with it through the difficult times.  I have learned that when I have a Word from God despite the storms that come I am able to stand.  

Here are some excerpts from Mathew Henry's Commentary that have greatly encouraged me this weekend.

• ... the best method of charity, and the greatest kindness one can do to poor people, which is, if possible, to help them into a way of improving what little they have by their own industry and ingenuity.
• but the God of the holy prophets is able to supply all her need; and, if she has a little committed to her management, her need must be supplied by his blessing and increasing that little.
• Elisha therefore enquired what she had to make money of, and found she had nothing to sell but one pot of oil,
• If she had not had this pot of oil, the divine power could have supplied her; but, having this, it will work upon this, and so teach us to make the best of what we have. 
• She must shut the door, to prevent interruptions from the creditors, and others while it was in the doing, that they might not seem proudly to boast of this miraculous supply, and that they might have opportunity for prayer and praise to God upon this extraordinary occasion. 
• The oil was to be multiplied in the pouring, as the other widow's meal in the spending. The way to increase what we have is to use it; to him that so hath so shall be given
• It is not hoarding the talents, but trading with them, that doubles them.
• it is in connexion with our own careful and diligent endeavours that we may expect the blessing of God to enrich us both for this world and the other. What we have will increase best in our own hand.
• She did it accordingly. She did not tell the prophet he designed to make a fool of her; but firmly believing the divine power and goodness, and in pure obedience to the prophet, she borrowed vessels large and many of her neighbours, and poured out her oil into them.
• they were all amazed to find their pot, like a fountain of living water, always flowing, and yet always full.
• Her first care, now that she has wherewithal to do so, must be to discharge that, even before she makes any provision for her children. It is one of the fundamental laws of our religion that we render to all their due, pay every just debt, give every one his own, though we leave ever so little for ourselves; and this, not of constraint but willingly and without grudging; not only for wrath, to avoid being sued, but also for conscience' sake. Those that possess an honest mind cannot with pleasure eat their daily bread, unless it be their own bread.
• The rest must not be laid up, but she and her children must live upon it, not upon the oil, but upon the money received from it, with which they must put themselves into a capacity of getting an honest livelihood. No doubt she did as the man of God directed; and hence, [1.] Let those that are poor and in distress be encouraged to trust God for supply in the way of duty. Verily thou shalt be fed, though not feasted. It is true we cannot now expect miracles, yet we may expect mercies, if we wait on God and seek to him. 
• Let those whom God has blessed with plenty use it for the glory of God and under the direction of his word: let them do justly with it, as this widow did, and serve God cheerfully in the use of it, and as Elisha, be ready to do good to those that need them, be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

*Excerpts taken from Mathew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 4:1-7