Stay at Home Mom

2 Kings 4:1-7

Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Experiencing Mother’s Day as a first-time mom was indescribable. I enjoyed the gifts that were well thought out. I enjoyed the company and the good conversation. I even enjoyed playing cards with my cousins. Most importantly, I enjoyed watching J.R. interacting with all of our family. What an experience! Celebrating motherhood is so important, and I pray that you felt the love you deserve on Mother’s Day and every day of the year. 

After a long trip back home, I was so tired.  As I was going through my day, it felt like I was lacking in some way. It seems like God is constantly working with me on my number one struggle: not feeling good enough. I felt like God was telling me to work with what I had. Then, just like a movie, this story played in my mind and I began to cry. 

The joy I felt was overwhelming. God was telling He will make up for what I lacked. I didn’t have the energy necessary for the day, but He gave me opportunities for me to rest in Him. Watching my daughter reach her milestones helps, too. It’s like God is giving me little gifts throughout my day.

When you trust God with the little you have, He will give you something better. Maybe you are thinking you don’t have patience for that person. Maybe you feel you can’t make time for something God really wants you to work on. Believe me when I say your time, energy, and patience are worth it.

Just like the widow in the story, perhaps your life hasn’t been easy. She lost a husband and was left with two sons to raise. As if that wasn’t enough, she has to pay a debt she can’t afford, or risk losing her sons to slavery. What a difficult situation she is dealing with while grieving her husband.

I can imagine how this conversation with Elisha went. She is dressed in mourning clothes. She cleans her face one last time before going to see Elisha. When she enters the room, she can’t stop the tears from flowing as she pours out her heart. I can see Elisha, feeling sympathetic about her situation. Taking a moment to go to God in prayer. Receiving the answer: use what you’ve got. All she had was some oil.

What do you have? Use it. If you can cook, cook! If you can write, it’s time to put your words onto paper. If you can speak, speak for the ones that can’t express themselves. If you can create, get your supplies and tools and make something great. You are made in the image of God, and He has given you the ability to work with what you’ve got. All you can do is sing. Baby, you better take that mic and work. All you can do is teach. Open your mouth and teach. 

All the widow did was pour oil from one vessel to another. I’m sure she was confused about this will help, but she obeyed the word God gave her. While we hold onto the little oil that we have, we could be using it for our purpose. Your gift is too valuable to keep locked away in your home. There are people depending upon your gift. Even when you think you are not doing much, it is more than enough. Can you fathom what the widow’s reaction to filling all of those vessels with the oil from her one vessel? The astonishment on her face? The fullness in her heart?

It’s time to pour into the vessels you think you cannot fill. The degree you have been putting off because you don’t think you achieve it right now. The project that you pass every day because there’s just not enough time. The relationship is falling apart, but you just put a little glue on it to make it appear unbroken. The situation is too hard, so you ignore it hoping it will go away. There may even be some who have lost your mother, and this mother’s day was hard on you. Maybe you never knew your mother. You may feel lonely and empty without her, and it may feel as if you have nothing to soothe the ache in your heart. 

I want you to take a moment and look inside the vessel that is your heart. There is still enough love to pour into someone else’s vessel. Don’t worry, you will not run out. Every time you pour into someone’s life, God will fill you right back up again. It will be a memory that you had forgotten that fills you. It will be a smile you receive that will fill you. Don’t be afraid to work with what you got, because you never know whose life could be changed when you pour into it.

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful for this word You gave. Thank You for the love You are constantly showering over us, and the understanding and grace You show us every day. Father, I ask that You give us clarity on how to use the oil You have given us. Help us to know that pouring into someone else, even when we think we don’t have enough to give, doesn’t mean You won’t fill us up again. Fill us with courage, so that we may encourage others. Fill us with peace, so that we may be peacemakers. Fill us with hope, so that we can share it with our little corner of the world. Most importantly, fill us with love because our world can use a lot more of that. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sincerely Your Sister,

JJJ.