The Obedient Unnamed Mother

Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.”

   
     A cry for help!  A determined cry for help!  This mother in II Kings 4:1-7, was in trouble and was not ashamed to seek out help from the man of God, the prophet Elisha.  Her husband, one of the sons of a prophet, had died.  Now she was in debt, and her two sons were about to be taken to be slaves by the creditor.  This was according to Exodus 21:2, where a person was to be a bondsman up to seven years in order to pay off a debt.  Well, this mother was not going to sit idly by feeling sorry for herself.  She cried out for help, “My sons must be spared from this enslavement.”
     An almost empty jar of oil is all she had left, she informed Elisha.  Utilizing the only resource she had, Elisha instructed her and her sons to gather together many empty vessels (containers) from her neighbors.  Then directing her to close the door, she was to use her meager jar of oil to fill all the empty vessels.  Did this make sense?  Of course not.  Did she stop and ask questions and details about how this was possible?  No, she followed the instructions of the man of God humbly and obediently.
     As God miraculously multiplied the oil (and you can be sure it was oil of the most superior quality), this mother and her sons filled all the empty vessels and then “the oil stopped.” II Kings 4:6  Then she came and told the man of God (Elisha), and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
     Oh, now it all became clear.  God was providing in a way humanly impossible, but as we know “with God, all things are possible.” Mark 10:27  The unnamed mother first needed to make her request and then be obedient.  You see, God provides and cares for His own, for He promises never to leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5
 
The Better Way:  Strive to be a determined, hardworking, obedient, humble woman/mother by God’s grace.
 
See also:  The Unnamed Woman

About Gail Slawson

I am a 74 year old wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. After 54 years of marriage, my husband and I have been richly blessed with 4 wonderful children and their wonderful mates and 19 precious grandchildren, five of whom are already with the Lord and 5 great-grandchildren. My husband and I are busy retirees and reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where we serve the Lord Jesus Christ through Bible Studies, as mentors in our church and telling others about Him "as we go." Mark 16:15
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1 Response to The Obedient Unnamed Mother

  1. Anita says:

    I’m amazed every time I read that story. I would like to think I would have been just as obedient…but I’m not sure I would have been. Thanks for the reminder that God does all things well.

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