When You're at the End of Your Rope

Sometimes faith requires hard work

This week as we continue with our series of messages A Life of Amazing Faith on the life of Elisha, in honor of Mothers' Day we start in 2 Kings 4:1-7, where we see a mother who was at the end of her rope. God used his prophet Elisha to intervene in her desperate situation give glory to God.

There is no doubt most of us have felt overwhelmed with the burdens and heartaches of life. The woman in this verse was a widow who had no means of earning a living. Because she was unable to pay a creditor, the creditor was threatening to take away her two sons and force them to serve him as slaves. This mom had lost everything and was about to lose she all she had left in the world, her children, so she turned to Elisha for help.

Elisha asked what she had in the house- because God often begins with what we already have. The woman had only a small amount of anointing oil. She met Elisha's requests with no hesitation, questions, or doubt. This mother had amazing faith and obedience. Sometimes we trust God too little; Elisha challenged her to obey and watch God work a miracle!

Because she trusted the prophet, listened to his word, and obeyed God's command, she experienced the power of God: a miracle right before her eyes! Her faith continued as she kept pouring the oil and it continued to fill the containers. God answered her prayers and rewarded her according to her faith.

Sometimes we miss the miracles of God because we don't want to work for them- our reward is based on our faith.  We miss out on His favor because we're not willing to put forth the effort to see it happen.  God didn't make pots and pans of oil appear in this woman' home, she had to run to her neighbors and borrow what she could.  If we work hard like this mother to prepare the way for him, God will always meet our needs.