SERVING GOD IN TRYING TIMES

SERVING GOD IN TRYING TIMES

2Kings 4:1-7; Matthew 18:25; Mark 12:41-44

Since bible days, people of God have depended on him for their support in their trying times, and have always found help in Him. The line of one song says, “the Lord is our Rock in Him we stand; A shelter in the time of storms”. Our text this morning is about a woman who is the wife of a prophet. The husband had died and she had sunk into great financial needs. They had borrowed money to survive but have no means of paying back. The creditor came for his money and threatened to take the sons as slaves.  This was a very trying time for the woman and her sons. And thank God, God was there to help them. Whenever we find ourselves in need we go to Go in prayer for we know that help is on the way.

The way widows feature in bible narratives show the character of God as the “Father of the fatherless and Judge of the widows” (Deut. 10:18; 14:28-29; 16:11; 24:17). God is known in his actions to help the vulnerable. If we have God, we have everything though we physically have nothing. When God becomes our supply, we will never run out of resources of what we need (Matthew 6:11). God will provide for us daily if we put our trust in him.

The Pressing Challenge

       i.            The Wife Of A Prophet (2Kings 4:1)

     ii.            The Loss Of Her Husband (2Kings 4:1)

  iii.            The Menace Of Creditors (2Kings 4:1)

  iv.            There Was No Resource To Pay (2kings 4:3)

During Elijah’s time a brotherhood or guild of prophets were formed. We do not know their actual origin but we see them feature in the stories of Elijah and Elisha (1Kings 20:35; 2Kings 2:3; 5:22; 6:1).

Elisha obviously had responsibility of them judging from references his stories concerning them.

     (i)            He cared for the needs of the widow of one of these prophets (2Kings 4:1-7)

   (ii)            He built a dwelling place for them (2Kings 6:1-7)

 (iii)            He presided over a communal meal (2Kings 4:38-44)

 (iv)            They witnessed the departure of Elisha, they knew he would be taken away during that period (2Kings 3:3, 5, 7, 15)

   (v)            They were involved in prophetic assignments during Elisha’s ministry (2Kings 9:1-3)

So we can see that this story is not one that just suddenly came up. Elisha had been involved in taking care of this prophetic brotherhood. It was one of these prophet who died, and whose wife had need and then approached Elisha.

By approaching Elisha, she recognised the call of God upon him. She recognised the leadership of Elisha, having obviously been witness of how he led the other prophets in the service of God.

We learn from here the importance of subjecting ourselves to those whom God has put over us as leaders (Heb.13:17; 1Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1Cor. 16:15-16). This is the principle of the Kingdom of God. Love your leaders, pray for them support them, even share with them your material things (1Cor. 9:9-11).

This woman in her need recognised the leadership of Elisha and went to him for help. After the death of her husband, She could not pay their debt. As a result their creditors came to take her two sons as slaves. The Bible regulated the seizure of wives or children as payment of debt (Leviticus 25:35-42). We can see her need. When we have need we have someone who is more than a prophet to run to. What is His name? Jesus. He is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). When in need, can petition our High priest.

The Inspired Petition

       i.            She Reminded Elijah Of Her Husband’s Faithfulness (2Kings 4:1)

    ii.            She Revealed Her Fear Of Her Sons becoming Slaves

God hears the cry of the needy even if they have not done anything that would commend them to the Lord. Remember the Syro-Phoenician woman who came to Jesus for help? Though she was not a Jew, Jesus heard and granted her request (Matthew 15:22-28). But this woman was a Jew and also the wife of a servant of Yahweh. To add to this, her husband was faithful to God during his lifetime.. So she presented this as an argument in her request. She also spoke of her fear for her two sons.

We also see King Hezekiah do something like this when he was sick unto death. He reminded the Lord that he had served Him wholeheartedly and done thing pleasing in God’s sight (2Kings 20:1-3). The Lord immediately responded.

God accepts our arguments in prayer. Jesus encouraged us to use importunity in prayer. Importunity must involved Even if you are not yet saved, you have an opportunity to ask God for pardon and for salvation and other needs. He will not refuse you. Do not wait rill it is too late.

If you have been serving the Lord, giving your time, giving your money, praying, witnessing, keep on doing what you are doing because you are accumulating credit before the lord and time will come when He will stand up on your behalf in the time of need (Gal. 6:9; 2thessalonians 3:13; 1Cor.15:58).

The Unexpected Provision

       i.            She Must Use What She Has

    ii.            Not A Few Empty Vessels Borrowed

 iii.            She Must Shut Herself and Her Sons In

 iv.            She Faithfully Pour The Oil from the Pot

    v.            All The Borrow Vessels Were Filled

The dynamics of the miracle of provision here show that God has different ways in which He will answer our prayers. Elijah did not have to give the woman money to go and pay her debt. Instead he involved her in the solution to her problems (2Kings 4:2-4):

     (i)            She had only one pot of oil. But with God that is enough resources. It is nothing for God to feed five thousand people using only five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 14:15-20). Do not despise what little you may have now. Know that God can use anything to bring about your miracle.

   (ii)            She had to go out by faith and borrow empty vessels or empty pots from neighbours. Do not ask me what explanation she gave to those who may have asked what he was going to do with them. She simply moved by faith. She shut herself and her sons in. Faith shuts out doubts, and doubters must sometimes be physically shut out (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26). We too must move and live by faith. Great miracles are wrought by faith in God. Those wedding attendants in Cana of Galilee obeyed the command of Jesus to fill water pots with water (John 2:5-10). They manifested even more faith in drawing what they knew was water to carry to the MC who was demanding for wine. But on their way the water was turned into wine without their being aware of it! What a mighty God we serve.

 (iii)            We note that all the borrowed vessels were filled. We don’t know how many vessels she borrowed. But all the vessels borrowed were filled. We must move by faith, just like those wedding attendants did in Cana of Galilee.

God will use whatever He will to bring about our miracles, but he expects us to show faith in Him (Mark 11:22-24). May the grace and favour of the Lord follow us through this month!

Thanks for reading,
Pastor Chima