March 16
‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, (…) nothing will be impossible for you.’ Matthew 17:20
Bible reading: 2 Kings 4:1-7 (Go to the Bible passage)
It is written in the law, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain’ (Deuteronomy 25:4).
Later on Paul remarks rightly that God meant to say here that those who preach the gospel, should receive their living from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:1-14). The Lord Jesus also told His disciples, ‘So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (Matthew 6:31).
It was hard for the wife of the deceased prophet to keep trusting in God. Particularly, now the creditors were coming to take her two sons away to be their slaves. But she did not leave the matter at that; instead she approached Elisha for advice. He asked her what she still had got and she answered, ‘Nothing, except a small jar of olive oil.’ Then he told her to borrow as many empty jars from her neighbors as she could, and to pour oil into them from the little jar until they were full.
Why did the widow do this foolish thing, exactly as she had been told by Elisha?
Because in her life together with her husband she had learned to put her trust in God, and she knew that nothing will be impossible for the believer. Therefore she kept pouring until all jars were full. Then the oil stopped flowing and she had enough to pay her debts and keep her sons and live with them on the rest of the money.
Have you ever heard of such a thing happening in our time? No, of course not! For today, where do we find people with such faith in God that they would simply carry out such an order?

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