God’s Faithful Servants Are Sometimes Desperate

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.”

2 Kings 4:1

This woman’s great loss opened a whole chapter of troubles. God’s law made provision for widows among God’s people, primarily through the extended family. But for whatever reason, this woman seems to have fallen through the net, and she was left with mounting debt.

Then the man who had lent her money came knocking at the door.

“You owe me money.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have any money to give you.”

“Well, what do you have?”

“See for yourself. All I have is this little jar of oil.”

“What good is that to me? But you do have something that might be useful to me—these two fine young boys. If your debt is not paid by the end of the month, both of your sons will work for me until it is fully paid.”

This woman was desperate, so she went to Elisha for help. She knew that he walked closely with God. Perhaps God could help her.

This is a wonderful story about God’s provision. We will see how God provides, how we are involved in what God provides, and how this story points us to what God does for us in Jesus Christ.

When have you faced desperate times? How did you see God provide?