CLOSED DOORS AND EMPTY VESSELS
“So Elisha said to her ‘What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?’ And she said, ‘Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.’” (2 Kings 4:2)
We have before us the picture of a woman who is absolutely bankrupt. Her condition would imply that she had already sold all her possessions in order to pay her debt. All that is left in the house is a jar of oil.
Oil is an emblem of the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for jar in our text is a word which would indicate that it was a small jar of oil. In all likelihood it was the deceased husband’s ministry oil. It was not the cooking oil or the bathing oil. It was the anointing oil. A beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit.
Ted Rendall reminds us that this woman is dealing with the death of her husband, the pressure of an unpayable debt, and the potential loss of her sons to the creditor. Yet, she has all she needs. Yes, as bleak as things may seem, everything she needs is already in the house. She has the jar of oil.
The Apostle Paul relates this truth to the New Testament Christian. He said, “…do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own (First Corinthians 6:19)?”
Elisha gave the widow the answer to her dilemma. He instructed her to borrow many empty vessels and to go into her house and close the door. There she was to pour the oil from the jar.
Have you learned to close the door? If we are to experience the sufficiency of God we must get away from the rush and fuss of everyday life. We must get alone with God and close the door and stay with Him until there is an outpouring of His provision.
We must provide Him an empty vessel. Is your life so crowded with worldly things or even religious things that there is no room for God? It may be time for a house cleaning. Notice, it was not until the jar of oil was all she had that she learned that it was all she needed. Dr. Roger D. Willmore is a popular speaker at America’s Keswick. He will be speaking this summer, July 31-August 5, sharing the pulpit with Dr. John Oliver. Roger will be sharing a series, “Life on the Highest Plane.”
Compass Pointers: Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity. E. H. Chapin
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 9:10-11; Level 2: Proverbs 9:7-12
Anchored to the Rock: Prayer without love has no suction. It does not draw blessing down. W. E. Sangster
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