Oil

Today's devotion from "Holy Habits" talks of God's constant provision for us, using 2 Kings 4 and the widow's unending oil poured into so many vessels as the example.  That, of course, is God's physical, material, monetary provision -- but also God giving us the grace to pour into others even when we feel we have nothing left to give.  Even when we feel others have taken more than their share from us or stripped us of our energy, capacity and possibly even our dignity.

Through all the difficult and triumphant times, however, God will provide for us to help keep us going until all those we are to pour our lives into are full / complete in the stage of life in which we meet them.  He will meet our needs so we can meet the needs of others.  He provision extends deep into our lives.  As I've noted before, He will satisfy our desires with good things.

It seems that we are also to fill each 'vessel' only one person, one day, one relationship at a time.  We don't have to do it all at once.  This is sometimes difficult to remember.  The widow in 2 Kings 4 did not develop some technically complicated system where she could fill a variety of different vessels at once.  She concentrated on trusting God enough for one vessel at a time.  One leap of faith at a time.  One drop of oil, one drop of emotional energy at a time.  There was no multi-tasking involved.  Just pure concentration, waiting to see what her God was going to do.

Even though we strive to apply this principle in our own lives and even though we want to be used by God's mighty hand for his mighty intentions, we are human... we will make mistakes... there will be times when we just can't handle this all-important assignment.  Even Elijah in 1 Kings 19 felt times of despair when he forgot that God would provide him the grace and strength he needed to survive the trial through which he was struggling to travel.  He got emotional.  He felt sorry for himself.

But in true to form fashion and displaying His everlasting faithfulness, God indeed ministered to Elijah in his time of great emotional need.  In Elijah's state of 'emptiness', God intervened in a likely unexpected but perfect way.  Elijah rested and someone from God was there to take care of him and meet his physical needs.  God always provides exactly what we need in His own unique timing.

Have we asked Him to bestow upon us His flawless sense of complete provision for our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being today?  Let's try it and see what happens.  Like the dear, faithful, expectant old widow, may we, too, see God come alive in the simple things of every day life and in the tremendous complications that bombard us as well.

~lk