2 Kings 4:1-7 KJV
1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

The Creditors, the people that need their money but the widow woman had no money want to enslave(make bondmen). What worse she is the inlaw to the prophets. Elisha ask what she had. She told him a vessel of oil the only thing of value. I say it the only thing of value, because she was looking perhaps at the things she own in relationship to what could be traded or sell. Last night looking at the price in the grocery store, I realize that many are going to be starving if things in the economy does not change. In our nation since the pandemic we are all still unnerved by how it effected the economy. Our nation strong, and yet we witnessed the change in our economic strength in matter of minutes. Gas prices still low enough to witness the economic changes in my local area in food shortage and even simple products of toilet paper to nuts and bolts in the hardware store. It seems trivial, but is not when we think of the population of our society. The hopelessness some have felt can not compare to the struggle within our society to hold its head up and deal with each crisis as it comes and goes.

The feeling of desperateness this widow woman felt with having to sons, that her creditor wanted to enslaved caused this widow woman great stress to the point she went to the Prophet Elisha, who may of even been kin in hopes he have a solution for her. A way to save her sons from being enslaved. How much she owe is not told. It is like a minister daughter going to a minister in hope he find a solution to her problem and minister says go and sell your possessions of value, but do not be surprised if it multiplies and people began to give the person items that could be sold to bring money to her creditors. Yet this widow only as one vessel of oil. Other people two sense worth is sometimes appreciate and sometime will any two sense worth really has no value.

Elisha a man of God ask the woman what she had in her house and all she had was a vessel of oil. Elisha tells her to go borrow vessels and to fill them with oil. The oil did not run dry until all the vessels were filled. Then Elisha tells her to go sell the oil, pay her debt and her and her sons could rest.

To go to the prophet was to know this prophet spoke to God and could intercede perhaps more then she could herself. All can pray and speak to God, but when dealing with human problems larger then ourselves it often takes and act of God to solve the problem. I do not doubt the woman did not have plenty of oil that some type of miracle happened here. I do not doubt that God used Elisha here to provide a means in which the widow woman could lower her debt and provide for her family.

I looked into the facts of this story to see if the oil could of been more then our eyes of what a pot was, and it still came out the same as not much oil did the woman have. God taking the little the woman had and give to her in her hour of weakness enough to take care of the her and her son's needs. I know God's provision is not always without labor. I know God's provision is not always free. Yet the provision of salvation was free and yet Christ calls us to pick up our cross and follow him. The woman took up her burden and went for help and God through the prophet instruction provide a means for the woman to make money. She being married into the prophetic world knew that God could meet her need, but she was at that hour past her ability to help God in that process, until Elisha gave her instruction. Through her obedience God began to provide exactly what she need to make a living.

God does provide hands up and hands out. Yet we often think of God's provision being only hand out. That not always case. Even the disciples fished for a meal though plenty of fish and bread was had with so little provision. Why was the need to fish still used by the disciples. It provided for their basic needs with the job they had gain only by being from a fishing family. Jesus did not seem to use his carpentry skills for provision after his baptism. Instead it seems his needs were meet by invites to dinner, to food his disciples picked on the sabbath, and to those fishing in boats casting their nets in and catching oodles of fish. Let us not forget the meal Christ had though there appeared to be no food in the story of the woman at the well(John 4). Christ needs seem to be meet.

My question is not why some people go hungry or why they live on the streets. My question is did they ask God and then my question is, is God using this so some else can be a hand extended and they are not doing God's will by being that hand extended. How many have had to face the door to the streets and chose to fight for life. Our world will never know the toll, because when people reach the point the only identy may be a parcial of paper or license until it is lost. No record recorded of these people if they used unemployment or went to another job, because it no longer tracked. They become statistic and no long a number worthy to be of count in our nation.

What is the more important in our world? Faith, hope and love, and human life worth protecting. See under Mosaic law the creditor could take the person and enslave them to get their money. Today creditors can take people to court if they do not pay their bills, while others have enough debt they can legally bankrupt. This woman did not want to burden her sons with her own debt, nor anyone else she wanted a solution to the problem. She went by faith and asked for help. And God provided. Does God always meet us our way? The answer is no. Someone loose their home, they have no solution. People with money seldom worry about where they will sleep.

This woman was worried about her children and not herself. Not concerned if she would be enslaved but her children. Whether they were old enough to perform a full days work I do not know. In our world without government some people would literally have no hope of survival without family or friends that might care for a time.

America in crisis, the world in crisis. The hope of shelter and a place to lay their head. We want to see God glorified, we need to find ways to help people get off the streets, into shelters of their choosing or at least for their safety. Help to work or to provide hope of decency. When we take someone's mental state and destroy it, or take human decency way, it give no hope for a better tomorrow. These things must be maintained at the human level. Can we has believer, seek God to be our helper, to be example of asking God for help as the widow woman sought God through the prophet and the prophet gave her instructions God gave him.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to care for those in need, those that are struggling, and those who are seeking help but can not get it. Help people of faith to be that hand extended, to be that helping hand and not always hand out but hand up. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Psalm 10:9-15 KJV
9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.