Arise to Become

Then he said, “Go around and get jars from all your neighbors. Get empty jars, many of them”.

(2 Kings 4:3, NKJV)

We all have times of need and thankfully, most of the times we have an idea of what to do so that we satisfy our need.  There are however times when we do not know what to do and in such moments, we tend to reach out to our friends and family for advice or help.  It is the help we receive from others that lifts us up and helps us to deal with the matter, thereby satisfying our need.  At other times, our situations are dire and neither our friends nor ourselves know what needs to be done to get help on the matter.  The frequency of these situations will depend on the reach of one’s network and the magnitude of the matter.  Such moments are not only difficult but desperate and the individual suffers a level of loneliness and helplessness beyond expression.  It is in moments like this that we reach out to any higher authority that we know without being too concerned of the repercussions.  The hope that the solution would be found drives out the fear of any consequences, for we understand that the situation could never get worse than it already is.

Our reference verse comes from a familiar story of Elisha’s days when he encountered a widow who had been married to a prophet.  The woman had a debt that she did not know how to pay back and the creditor was threatening to take her two sons to serve him as repayment for the debt.   This was a catastrophe and the woman could not think of any way out of the debt or how to save her sons.  The prophet Elisha on hearing her story asked her what she had in the house and she responded that she had some little oil in a jar.  The prophet then gave her a command to go and look for more jars from among the neighbours (verses 4-7), this little oil became her solution as God miraculously multiplied it so that she sold it to pay the debt and was left with some money to live on.  She had to take a step and move and it is in her moving in obedience, that her solution was found. 

Beloved, the solutions to our issues are with other people and what we need to do is to reach out and ask for help.  Most counsellors will tell you that the individuals have solutions to the problems that they seek counselling for.  The counsellor simply helps the individual to gain a different perspective to the problem and to embrace the solution that already exists in their hearts.  We are living in a very needy world and for many, the resources are getting more and more scarce.  This is a reality but as children of God, we know that our Father has made full provision for us, ours is to find that link to the provision.  Each one of us has a talent or gift that we carry, we often underestimate these gifts but they are God’s link to our provisions (2 Peter 1:3).  The solutions are within us not outside of us.  Paul tells Timothy to fan the gift that is in Him (2 Timothy 1:6).  Brethren, we have work to do, the gift is there but it is upon us to fan it and strengthen it, we have to recognize it and use it.  When we do this with the help of the Holy Spirit of God, we not only become better at it but we become valued by others for it, as we help others to find solutions to their problems too.  There will be times when our abilities need the strength of others, that is when as the woman in Elisha’s story we reach out to our networks for support.  The results of our abilities when working together with others are compounded and enlarged.  A drop of water when joined by other drops becomes a river and that is the same for us when in one accord, we combine our efforts towards a goal.  It all starts with recognition of what we have. The bible reminds us that a man’s gift makes room for him before great men (Proverbs 18:16).  My beloved I understand this to mean that we live and flourish through our gifting.  We therefore have to take the step to arise, decide to move forward and in turn become all what God has predestined us to be, to the glory of His name.  Arise my brother and become more than you have dreamed of.

Thoughts:

How have you stirred your gift?

What problem does your gift answer to and for whom?

Whose help do you need and how will you reach out for it?

How strong is your network?