Overflowing Oil

Honor the Lord with how you live by humbling yourself, helping others, and having faith in Jesus. 

“The wife…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.” They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full…the oil stopped flowing. …Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him…What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old…next year…you will hold a son in your arms…the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her…A man came…bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread…Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said. “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked. But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’ ” Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over” 2 Kings 4:1-44

What can God do through one willing heart? What happens when one person is empowered by the Holy Spirit? Is there anything that God cannot do? In this passage, through Elisha, God provides endless oil to repay a debt, He gives a barren woman a baby boy, and He multiplies bread for many men. 

There are some hidden insights within these verses that are repeated throughout the Scriptures today. The woman who came to Elisha with little oil was the wife of a faithful servant of God. Before the blessing we should note that God provides for his servants and their families. The oil was not a random occurrence, but a faithful act by a faithful God. 

The barren woman who was blessed received the blessing after she had been generous to a man, Elisha, who had no ability to repay her kindness. As we are generous to others, God is generous to us. This is not the prosperity gospel, but evidence of the promises of God. 

Long before Jesus, God multiplied the first fruits of bread given in obedience. As we sacrifice and serve, God multiplies our offerings and blesses our obedience. Each of these stories are examples of how walking in humility, trusting God, and honoring Him with how we live leads to impact. 

Each time the person who was faithful created an opportunity for God’s power to do something great. As we honor God by how we live, He does what seems impossible to us. What step of obedience is God calling you to take today that He could use for blessing tomorrow? 

“Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance. By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life.“

Psalms 17:1-15

Do you want to know an insight into how to best hear from God? David said be honest. David said my prayer did not rise from deceitful lips. He knew that God is spirit and truth, and that healing only comes when we are honest. This can be really hard. It is hard to tell the truth when we have allowed temptation to turn us from truth. So often we can pray for changed circumstances, but God wants us to come clean first so our hearts can align with His. Have you been honest with God? Are you holding anything back? 

David said he avoided bribes and being a person whose reward was in this life. David saw his hope and help in God. If you think about the reasons why we can be unfaithful to God or listen to fear, are they not all related to living for earthly rewards? What earthly reward is currently on your heart or mind? 

“The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath…Hopes placed in mortals die with them; With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, A gossip betrays a confidence…For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers. A kindhearted woman gains honor, Those who are kind benefit themselves…the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.” Proverbs 11:1-30

Jesus said change the way you think. There are ways in which the world operates that are counter to God. God wants us to learn to live by faith and understand He will always be with us, He is for us, and He will take care of us. God wants us to believe in his power and to have an abundant mindset.  

Ask yourself why people use dishonest scales or deceive each other? God hates dishonest scales because they reveal a heart that does not trust nor desire to honor Him. Solomon also warned against slander, gossip, and disparaging others. Think of what is says to the non believer when someone who says they love Christ curses other people. How are your words, actions, and attitude reflecting your heart? Are you honoring God by how you live? 

The person who trusts in God can give freely, stay, faithful, and refresh others. There is a grace of giving a glorify God.  Think of how generosity reflects trust. Every faithful person wants to get freely, but it is the person who actually does it that demonstrates devotion to God. Actions not intentions are what show commitment to Christ. Who could you help today? When you think about giving, are you wanting to give everything you can or concerned about whether you will have enough?

Think back to the true stories of how the generous and faithful people were blessed by God through Elisha. It is no accident of these passages align. God is challenging us to count the cost and put Christ at the center of how we live and give. 

“This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Has not my hand made all these things…These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word…Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her. …you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance…When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass…And I, …am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.”…They will proclaim my glory among the nations.” Isaiah 66:1-19

God reminds us of a simple truth. Everything is from him, for him. He made all things and we are stewards, not owners, of what we have. One day we will pass away and all the possessions we thought so much about will not come with us. They were never ours nor do they matter when we die. 

God said that the devoted people will learn to drink deeply and delight in his abundance. He said that the ones who will find favor are humble and fear the Lord. The world teaches us to focus on pride and possessions. God tests us and is looking for humble hearts who live to honor Him by believing in Him. He does not withhold blessing. He is generous and kind. He is gracious and faithful. 

We were never meant to live with a scarcity mindset. We are meant to believe in God’s abundance and rejoice in His generosity. How are you looking at the world? Is scarcity impacting your ability to be generous? Fear wants you to believe that you will never have enough and that you will run out of resources. The problem is fear is a liar. 

“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted…When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous…Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple…those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.” Luke 14:8-33

This is a very challenging passage if you read quickly through the English words. The word hate here does not mean dislike your family. It is the Greek word miseo and it means love less. Jesus is challenging our paradigms and priorities. Miseo is a comparative term that is meant to make the listener consider what matters more to them. It is the same principle that runs throughout these scriptures today.  What matters more to you? Living for God or living for gold? Living for the opinions of others or honoring the Almighty? 

Jesus is not calling us to love others less than the golden rule, He is calling us to love Him more than anything else. He must be at the center of everything. The call to carry our cross and count the cost is an invitation to exchange the earthly for the eternal. When Jesus becomes our greatest treasure, generosity is a joy, obedience is an act of worship, and faith replaces fear because we know our Father will provide.

Look at the connections. God provides for the faithful widow. He blesses the generous woman. He multiplies the bread that is offered. David detested the idea of those whose reward was here and now. Solomon said giving is living for God. He said those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Isaiah said the people of God operate out of abundance. Jesus calls us to see we gain far more than we give up, but wants us to know following Him will cost us the world.

Is anything more important to you than following Christ? Is there anything you are struggling? How is fear speaking to you? The way we live and the way we give reveal what we truly believe about God.

The good news is that God’s supply never runs dry. Live to honor Him and you will see Him do great and mighty things in, through, and for you. Our hope and our help is from God. Humble yourself and you will be exalted. Have faith to give as though your oil will never run out and you will see Him overflow your jars in ways you never thought possible.