I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
–John 10:10

There is a very interesting story in the Bible that I had never paid attention to before, but the Lord drew my attention to it and opened it up to me. This story seemed to come alive, and how wonderful it is when the Lord Himself opens or shows us something. It gives a different understanding from what we have heard, read or been taught before. I want to share this story with you with joy.

This story is about a woman, the wife of one of the sons of the prophets, who was always faithful to the Lord. [2 Kgs.4:1-7] When her husband died, she was left with 2 sons, and they wanted to take them from her because of her debts, but this woman went to the prophet and said: “What shall I do? They want to take my sons from me!” The prophet Elisha asked what she had in the house. The woman had a jar of oil. Then the prophet told her to go to her neighbours and borrow empty vessels from them. Then to come home, shut the door behind her and pour this oil into the vessels. The woman began to pour, and her sons kept bringing her empty vessels, but the oil did not run out. And when the woman asked for another empty vessel, her son said there were no more empty vessels. At that moment the oil stopped flowing.

In this story we can see that the Lord always gives more than is needed. We can also see this in other stories: when Jesus broke the bread and the fish and fed the hungry, there were baskets of leftovers. When the fishermen were fishing and could not catch anything, Jesus told them to launch out into the deep and let down their nets, and they caught so many fish that their nets were breaking. There are plenty of such stories in the Bible.

In our story, too, the oil did not run out until the vessels ran out. Then the prophet told the woman to sell the oil and pay her debt, and they could live on the rest [once again, there was more than enough]. Our Lord is constant, for it is written that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [Heb.13:8]

As I read this story, I thought: “What a miracle!!!” The oil keeps flowing and doesn’t run out!!! In fact, this miracle reveals the Lord’s Salvation!

Elisha asked the woman some interesting questions: What shall I do for you, and what do you have in the house? Our heavenly Daddy is always ready to help, whether you know Him or not, whether you are sick or in debt, in need, or simply can’t see a way out. As soon as you turn to the Lord, everything in your life begins to happen and change. Just turn to Him — He will always hear you. When Jesus walked the earth, He always healed and saved all the sick and did not turn away anyone who came to Him. It is very important to know, understand and remember that, regardless of your works, thoughts or actions, you can always turn to Jesus and ask for help in need, in the pressure of problems, in helplessness, in hopelessness, in sickness, or simply to be heard, understood and accepted. He will always listen to you; He always has time for you!!! He will always understand; He is the only One who understands your difficulties and problems. Jesus is your best Friend. He will always understand you and always accept you just as you are. Jesus will never reproach you, accuse you or hurt you in anything! And this is very important to know!!! Accusing, betraying and stealing are the works of the devil. Remember how he tempted Jesus in the wilderness: “Prove it, if You are the Son of God….” The devil accused Him of not being the Son of God and demanded proof of what was already the truth: Jesus is the Son of God. Unfortunately, we sometimes take such accusations to heart, even very much to heart, letting ourselves think that it is the Lord speaking to us. DON’T BELIEVE IT — IT’S A LIE!!! Jesus is a loving Lord; He doesn’t need proof, and He came to protect you. It is the thief who does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. [Jhn.10:10] And we know who the thief is. Don’t let yourself be deceived. Jesus is your best Friend and your Saviour. He has already proved it by giving His life for you, asking nothing in return! His love for you is boundless!

The next question Elisha asked the widow was what she had in the house. The house is our body, the temple where the Lord lives. When you receive Jesus into your heart, your body becomes the temple of the living God, the house where the Lord dwells. That is why Elisha asked the woman: “What do you have in the house?” And she said: “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” [2 Kgs.4:2]

The oil in the jar is the Holy Spirit. And the oil will flow for as long as there are empty vessels [unbelievers]. This oil flowed and filled the vessels until they ran out. Elisha told the woman to borrow empty vessels from her neighbours and to gather many. We can see a similar example at the feast, when the master sent his servants to invite everyone they could find. [Luk.14:21]

The Lord, who now lives in our heart and guides us, is like the prophet who guided the woman. The door they shut behind them is Jesus. Remember the story before the exodus from Egypt, when death passed through and took all the firstborn. The Lord told the Israelites to put blood on the doorposts and to stay behind the shut door. The wooden door is Jesus crucified on the wooden cross, and by His blood, the blood of the Lamb, you have been redeemed. When you believed in Jesus and His finished work on the cross, you entered into Salvation through the door, and the Lord shut it behind you, and now nothing can take away or change your salvation. You were saved once and for all! And the Lord will never change or alter His mind; He will not take salvation back. Jesus has already been crucified for you, and nothing will change that! You are precious to Him, like a precious stone He found, for the sake of which He sold everything and bought the whole field where this precious stone was buried. Or like the bride who came out with oil to meet Him, and behind whom the door was shut. Nothing and no one will change His love for you, His love and His Salvation!!!