by Charles Sibthorpe
There are times when other people’s advice and opinions are not helpful. We are looking for human solutions, when there are none.
Two incidents, recorded in 2 Kings 4 stuck me. First, there was a widow who was destitute, her husband dead, her sons about to be sold into slavery. She cried out to Elisha who asked, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, except a little oil.”
Elisha instructed her to borrow empty vessels, as many as she could find, and to go into her house and “shut the door.” She was then to pour oil into the jars from her little cruise of oil. It sounded crazy and an unlikely solution.
Verses 5 & 6 say, “She left him and afterward “shut the door” behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 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.”
She sold the oil, paid her debts and was able to live on the rest of the money. When human answers have failed, and our own resources have run out, it is time to “shut the door” and watch God act on our behalf.
Later in the chapter, the child of the Shunammite woman had died, the dead body had been laid on the bed in the prophet’s room. And verses 32 & 33 say, “When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on the couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord.” God answered Elisha’s prayer, the boy was raised to life and restored to his mother.
Human reasoning destroys faith. “Shut the door” and pray and see how God steps into your place of need today.
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