Speechless

¹Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." ²And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil." - 2 Kings 4:1-2

Sometimes we find ourselves in such a difficult place we don't know what to say. The situation is so torn up and twisted - "I can't even conceive of what the answer would be." No problem. God knows your need and your loss for words. Romans 8:26 tells us the Spirit of God prays for us when we don't even know what to pray. When I put myself down on my knees and I say, "God, I can't imagine how this could ever be solved." That's all right. God already knows.

This young widow was at that kind of place. "What should I ask for?" She didn't know. "What should I do for you?" No answer. So Elisha says, "Tell me, what have you in the house?" Underline that, "in the house."

She thinks, "Is there an echo in this room, 'cause I already told you I have nothing. Now, which part of nothing don't you understand?" We're not really sure how she responded, except she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil" (v.2). Now, this oil was not WD30 or Quaker State. It was some kind of perfume or cooking oil. But here's the thing; it was valuable. So she produces this jar of oil that was all she had of any value.

So often when we're in a desperate place, we look at our health, our finances, or our career and we say to ourselves, "I have nothing! There's nothing here!" But we're wrong. It's time for another inventory. God needs only what you have. It may seem you have little; but it's not nothing.

We're learning how God works. God's answer to your situation is coming through something you already have. God will multiply and expand it. God will even use you to bring about the very solution you're looking for.

This can happen when we long for a family member to change. And we so slowly observe that God wants to change that person through us being changed. See? You already have what you need to see the solution God wants to bring you. God is working even when it's hard for us to see what we could possibly have for Him to work with!

Journal:

• What have I seen God use in my life (skill, position, or possession) that I may have overlooked, but He made it a significant part of His work?

Prayer - Father, I confess that I am sometimes speechless in prayer because I don't want to think I can do on my own what only You can do. Thank You for using what You have already given to me in Your ongoing work in and through my life. Thank You for always thinking way ahead of me and consistently surprising me with the way You work. In Jesus' name, Amen.