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Keeping Pouring with What God’s Provided
John Tilton2 Kings 4:1-7
The wife of a man from the companyof the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered theLord. But now his creditoris coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” Elisha replied to her, “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 small jar of olive oil.” Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” She left him and 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 went and told the man of God,and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
Here was a widow of a man of the prophets, a man who revered the Lord, who was facing dire circumstances from a creditor threatening to take her boys as slaves. Elisha performed a miracle by prompting her to take what she already had, in this case, a small jar of olive oil. He then prompted her to go to her neighbors for resources that they could provide, and in confidence prompted her to not ask for just a few, but instead many. He then encouraged her to go in privacy and begin pouring and filling the empty jars with olive oil, whereupon the olive oil was miraculously multiplied, until all of the jars were full. She then was able to go and pay all of her debt with leftover to live on.
Like the widow’s husband who revered the Lord, a man of the company of the prophets; when we know that we are doing God’s will, serving and revering him; no matter what the circumstances are and how the outlook seems dire or dim; like turning a business or a school around, even if like the widow, where we are succeeding in the footsteps of those that have gone before us (Pastor Wayne and present team), requiring that we pick up the baton and carry forth and on. God can work miracles if we turn to him first and take what he has already provided in our midst, and be visionary and hopeful, rather then worrying about perceived limitations and what we don’t have. We can look at the great potential at NHCC, what we have and how God can multiply it; then get to work and get her done with action steps in pouring out what God has given us to work with. Rather then being limited in our finances, how can we secure finances creatively and innovatively such as positioning and leveraging what we have? We've already seen this begin to take place financially with funds coming in unexpectedly and being able to leverage what we have in available funds, advances and property. Then, like the woman asked her neighbors for help, we need to be proactive in asking for help and participation or provision from others; be they donors in fundraising, academia people, professionals, businesses (like Rexius and bark) or secular events and resources like the upcoming Duran Duran concert in Hawaii of which the production profits will pay for the re-imaging and renovating our Stewart Chapel stage decor, video and multi-media, even with the prospect of them turning us down. We can use the concept of Vuja De in seeing new things and opportunities in things that are already around us here at the college in repurposing things, revamping things, renovating things, refining and finding monetary efficiencies, recalibrating processes and policies, and renegotiating agreements … cha ching! For our people from the mainland, that is a Chinese proverb celebrating money realized! Furthermore, the fact that we have a great team that is here with attributes of gifts and talents that God will multiply, excitement, commitment and purpose. This is the oil that God has provided for NHCC, and does exist here. In this season of the college, we need to continue seeking, asking and pouring with expectation in the faithfulness of the Lord. We will then be able to reach our goals of FTE, pay our debts, with leftover and realize the plans that God has for NHCC, not plans of failure, but plans of hope and a future through the feasibility and fulfillment of the jars that God has and will provide for us.
Thank you Lord for showing us the way to find and continue to pour out vision, solutions and success in doing your will and work, especially here at the college, by realizing what you have already provided, and being proactive in asking and leveraging you will call others to provide, that we may continue to fill the jars you set before us.
