Up Out of Debt

"A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves." (NKJV) This story out of II Kings 4 was about God fearing, prophesying believers who found themselves in debt. The husband had died and the woman and her sons were in trouble, but she refused to suffer in silence. Instead, this woman poured out her heart to Elisha the prophet who asked her "What can I do for you and by the way, what do you have in the house?" She knew what he was really asking, "What do you have in your house of value?" Her response to him was that she had a little oil. (It may seem strange that she considered oil as a valuable commodity, but oil was used for a multitude of purposes in that day from cooking, lighting, medicines, perfumes and anointing. It was a very important household item.)

As the story continues, she sends her sons to borrow all the jars they can from the neighbors with instructions to bring them back to the house. They lock the doors behind them and begin pouring from the jar with little oil into the empty jars which were borrowed. As they finish pouring into the last jar, the oil ceases. Then Elisha tells her to sell enough of the oil to pay off the creditors and live on the rest!

What an amazing story! The Kingdom of God came right into her indebted situation and not only eradicated what was owed, but supplied enough for them to be cared for. She stepped out of debt and had a pension from God to boot! She was bold enough to ask and wise enough to obey...SHE saw God's Kingdom Come.

We want what we know is in heaven to come down into our situation, but God is asking..."What is in your hand of value that you will give to me?"