On the 28th day of Christmas my true love gave to me, hope, grace and life to settle me (2 Kings 4:7.
I could sure use some hope today and some grace, not just today but every day. These make for a powerful and tranquil life, what we need in order to thrive in this dastardly world. Sometimes we Christians think this type of life is far from us, beyond our reach, relegated to biblical times. And in these times, we think we must resort to strong black woman ways or any other way the world says is effective in prospering today. I used to believe this until I really started believing what God’s word says.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours (emphasis mine), and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.—James 5:17-18
If a man with a nature like ours could pray hard enough to move God to control the rain in his favor, surely we can have hope to trust in God’s grace to empower our lives daily. We see this in Elijah’s successor, the prophet Elisha, who asked for and received more power than even Elijah had. His life epitomized hope through God’s grace, which empowered his life and helped him give life to many, including one unsuspecting widow.
The woman was desperate. Her husband was dead. Her creditors were coming, and she didn’t know what to do, but she knew who to turn to. Elisha told her to use the only thing she had in her house—oil, and it proved to be more than enough.
Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”—2 Kings 4:3-7
Elisha, through the power of God, helped the woman meet her present and future needs. He gave her hope and grace to thrive in life. We, too, have hope and grace through Jesus Christ (2 John 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Elisha points us to Christ, who meets our every need. Believe that and we will always thrive.
What are some ways that hope in Christ and grace from Him helped you meet AND exceed your needs? As always, I would love you to post your comments on the blog.
Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith
