LEARNING DAILY

2 Kings 4:4, Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors – empty vessels; do not gather just a few.

The weekend’s message was about Elisha helping a widow in a time of need. Her husband had died and the debt he left was about to be met by the creditor taking her two sons. She cried out to the prophet Elisha for help. He asked her what he could do for her, asking what she had in the house. All she had was a jar of oil. His reply was to go to her neighbors and get as many empty vessels as possible. When that was done, he instructed her to go inside and close the door, and pour the oil from her jar into the empty vessels. She did that and God filled all the empty vessels brought to her; when the vessels were full, the oil stopped flowing.

Dr. Ed Newton stated, “God specializes in empty vessels”. The target statement on the Listener Guide was, “The overflow of God’s anointing over your life is determined by what you’re willing to empty from your life”. The church has been involved with a 21-day of fasting, a giving up of something in order to allow God to fill your desire for what was given up with His presence. I have given up my wasted time playing computer solitaire and filled it with time spent doing things centered in God. I honestly can say that I have not missed playing solitaire. I will probably continue this “fast” when the twenty-one days are over as it “is something I am willing to empty in my life to receive more from God’s presence”.

Dr. Newton said, “Sometimes God empties the vessel (one’s life) so that He can pour into it a double portion of ability to experience more of Him in order to do more for Him”. I think I would rather I give up “the stuff’ I fill my life with that is centered around me and that which adds nothing to my walk on the narrow way, than have God begin to remove that “stuff” for me. Think about getting rid of that which occupies your time, that which takes away time with God.

Consider doing what Elisha instructed the woman to do, “Go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons”. Take time to be alone with God to let Him direct you in what you need to get rid of in your life. When we ask and seek Him, He will be found by us and answer our prayers. Is that not His promise in His Word? Sometimes the miracle, the answer we are seeking, and “the filling” with the oil we seek is not for everyone else; it might be just for the one seeking (Dr. Newton).

There is one more key element. As long as there was an empty vessel, the oil flowed. If the oil had continued to flow, it would have fallen on the floor and would have been wasted. I doubt any faithful follower of Jesus Christ will ever become so full of the oil (the Holy Spirit) that the oil stops flowing. With every heart that longs to walk with God, His oil continues to flow. Adam Clarke’s Commentary states, “If we find in any place or at any time the oil ceases to flow, it is because there are no empty vessels, no souls hungering and thirsting for righteousness” (from Matthew 5:6).

Believer, stop filling your vessel with worthless stuff that does nothing for your spiritual walk with the Lord. Instead, allow yourself to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit to guide and sustain you as you walk the narrow way into eternal life in God’s kingdom!