ToddGaddisBook_October2023_8.5x5.5.indd

When all the jars were full, the woman asked her son for an other. “But he replied,‘There is not a jar left.’Then the oil stopped flowing” (2 Kings 4:6). Does this mean the oil flow would have continued as long as the jars kept coming? Absolutely! If not before, she under stood then why Elisha sent her after a bunch of jars. Limitation stems from our limited capacity to receive as opposed to the Lord’s unlimited ability to give. Speaking of His de sire to bless Israel, God says, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). Certainly that applies to His children today as well. I’ve watched as the mother bird feeds her young in the nest. The babies stretch their little mouths open as much as possible while momma distributes dinner. Likewise, we should boldly go before the throne of grace, with great expectations, opening our selves up as widely as possible in order to receive God’s greatest blessing. As the poor widow discovered, limitation resulted from the container, not the provider. Fortunately, however, she collected enough oil to sell and pay off her debts, with enough left over to live on --a demonstration of God’s provision. I can’t conclude this chapter without pointing out that, in Scripture, oil serves as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.When Saul disobeyed and fell from favor, the Lord sent Samuel to the house of Jesse to find Israel’s next leader. Once God chose David, Samu el anointed the young lad with oil. “And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16;13).That same Spirit that empowered David, as well as Elisha, is available to you and me in unlimited supply. A lady was filling a box for India when a child came by with a penny.The woman used it to buy a tract which she put in with the rest of the items.The tract, which ended up in the hands of a Burmese chief, helped lead him to Christ.The chief shared his

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