Are You Planning for Success?

2 Kings 4:1-37

“When all the jars were full, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another one.’ But he replied, ‘There is not a jar left.’ Then the oil stopped flowing.” 2 Kings 4:6

A widow cried out in distress to Elisha. Since her husband, who had revered the Lord, had died, his creditor was coming to take her two boys as his slaves. Elisha asked how he could help. Then he asked the widow what she had in her house. She replied that all she had was a little oil.

Elisha told the widow to gather up many empty jars from her neighbors. He said for her not to just get a few, to get a lot. Then she was to go in her house, shut her door, and begin pouring oil into the empty jars.

The widow and her sons went home and shut the door behind them. She began pouring, and her sons kept bringing her more empty jars. Finally, when she told her son to bring her another jar, he told her there was not another empty jar left. They were all full. then the oil stopped flowing.

The widow reported what had taken place to Elisha. He told her to sell the oil and pay her debts. Then she and her sons could live on the rest.

When the oil stopped flowing, do you wonder if the widow and her sons wished they had borrowed more jars? They had as much oil as they had containers. Do you suppose that God is willing to pour into our lives all of His word and His love and His power that we can contain? Do you think if we were more open to His Spirit that He would fill our lives fuller of Himself? Is it true that we limit how much of God we can experience by not making more room for Him in our lives?

Father, I want to be available for You to fill me ever fuller with Yourself. May I empty more of the things in my life to make more room for You. Amen.