Measuring Your Miracle

Peyton Johnston

March 11th, 2018

2 Kings 4:1-6

Elisha was met by a woman who was totally out of options. Her husband had died, and she was left alone with her young sons to pay her family’s debts. But she had nothing to give. All she owned was a single flask of oil. There was no way for her compensate for her financial deficit. She was in desperate need of a miracle.

In steps the prophet Elisha.

When the woman expressed her need, Elisha responded. But not in a way that she probably expected. Instead of praying and asking the Lord to send down His power to provide for this struggling family, Elisha instructed the woman to go out and provide for herself. He told her to borrow as many empty vessels as she could from her friends and neighbors, and then go back home to her sons to fill up those vessels with the little oil that she had. When she did, God took her oil and multiplied it until she had much more than she needed!

Elisha never gave the woman a specific number of vessels to collect. He simply said, “borrow not a few.” Hmm. Not a few… So like what, seven? Fifteen? Seventy-four? How many exactly is “not a few”? Well that was completely up to the woman. The more she collected, the more she would be able to fill, and the more she could sell to save her family. However much of a miracle she wanted depended on how much of her time and effort she was willing to invest. The depth of her blessing depended on how much faith she had in the word of the prophet.

God orchestrated the miracle, but the woman decided how big it was going to be.

How much of yourself will you give to get the blessing God has for you? Just because God has promised you something, doesn’t mean you’re not going to have to work to obtain it. God can do above everything you ever ask or think all on His own. But sometimes the way to your miracle comes first by your own efforts. If you haven’t received your miracle yet, maybe it’s because you’re waiting on God to do something that He is waiting on YOU to do. God always honors our efforts and our faith. He will fill every last vessel that we have. But He can’t fill what we don’t bring to Him. It’s up to us to gather the vessels so that He can provide an overflow.

God has a miracle waiting for you. How far are you willing to go to obtain it?

Pray: ​“Lord, I thank You for always providing. I always want to receive the very best that You have for me. I refuse to limit my miracle because of my own idleness. I pray that as I give of myself to You, You would pour Your Spirit and sweet blessings back into my life.”