2 Kings 4:1-7 – “Now a wife of one of the prophets appealed to Elisha for help, saying, “Your servant, my husband is dead. You know that your servant was a loyal follower of the Lord.  Now the creditor is coming to take away my two boys to be his servants.” ² Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a small jar of olive oil.” ³ He said, “Go and ask all your neighbors for empty containers. Get as many as you can.  ⁴ Go and close the door behind you and your sons. Pour the olive oil into all the containers; set aside each one when you have filled it.” ⁵ So she left him and closed the door behind her and her sons. As they were bringing the containers to her, she was pouring the olive oil. ⁶ When the containers were full, she said to one of her sons, “Bring me another container.” But he answered her, “There are no more.” Then, the olive oil stopped flowing. ⁷ She went and told the prophet. He said, “Go, sell the olive oil. Repay your creditor, and then you and your sons can live off the rest of the profit.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word, the old story in 2 Kings 4 became my meditation. The wife of one of the sons of the prophets who followed Elisha came to him. She said, “My husband has died, and I’m destitute. “  Her sons and all she had were about to be sold to pay their debt.

Elisha asked two questions.   “What shall I do for you?”  And before she could answer, he asked, “What do you have in the house?”  She said, “Nothing but a pot of oil.” 

In this account, I see Evaluation.  What do you need, and what do you have? I also see Preparation. The instructions were to borrow empty vessels, not a few. Preparation Always Precedes Blessing.   ALWAYS!   God fills what we provide for Him to fill.  We empty and present to Him every part of our life, and He fills.

Then, he said, “Shut the door.”  That is petition, prayer, and participation.   God expects us to participate in the miracle.  The prophet said something interesting that is overlooked.   2 Kings 4:4 –“…the vessel which is full bring to me.”   We not only present the empty vessels to God to be filled but also bring the full to God in dedication.

When she ran out of empty vessels, the flow of oil stopped.   The only limitation of God’s miracle is in our hands.  If we keep emptying out and presenting the empty vessels to Him, the oil flows. We are pipelines, not reservoirs. Oil is to flow, not collect in a pool.  How much we have is not as important as how much can flow through us!

So, evaluate what you have and what you need.  Prepare empty vessels for God.  Petition, participate in the process, and stop limiting God.  Remember that Preparation Always Precedes Blessing.   God won’t waste His oil.  You can have God’s abundance, but you must give God your all.   Become a prepared pipeline and watch what He does.

Open your heart, and God will fill your hand.  Rejoice in His Provision and enjoy this day in Jesus!