What Hast Thou

What Hast Thou

"Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil." Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. "And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not one vessel more." And the oil stopped. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest." (2 Kings 4:1-7)

One day a woman came to the Prophet Elisha in great trouble. She was a widow; her husband had been one of the sons of the prophets. He had feared and trusted the Lord God of Israel. Before his death he had contracted a debt and had died before being able to pay it. And now the creditor had come to the woman and said, “If you cannot pay the debt I must take your sons and sell them for slaves.” Not only had she lost her husband but now she was in danger of losing her two sons. This was the problem that she brought to the prophet. The prophet was kind and willing to help her. He did not offer to pay the debt but told the woman that she must earn the money herself. But how was she to earn the money? “What hast thou?” asked Elisha. “I have nothing in the house but a pot of oil.” replied the woman. Then Elisha commanded the woman to and go to all her neighbors and borrow as many vessels as possible. After she had done this, Elisha commanded the woman to go to her house, and shut the doors. Then she was to take the oil and pour it into the empty vessels. This she did and to her utter amazement vessel after vessel until finely every vessel had been filled. God had caused the oil to increase and multiply as He had done for the oil and meal of the poor woman of Zarephath. “And now what must I do?” asked the woman. Elisha replied, “Go, and sell the oil, and pay the debt with the money, and then thou and thy children may live upon what is left.”

In this story of the woman and her pot of oil I find three lessons to which I draw your attention this evening. We see in the first place the woman went to the right source for instruction, then she did what she was told to do and finally, she used what she had.

This poor widow was faced with a great crisis. In the midst of her trouble and perplexity she took her problem to Elisha, the representative of God. Today when we are faced with problems, and cares and worries that seem to defy all solution, we, too, can take them to God through our great High Priest Jesus Christ and there leave them for solution.

Today people are busy running to psycho-analysts, psychologists, star-gazers and the like with their problems and cares with the hopes that a solution will be found. But these men are powerless to help us. There is one and only one who can aid, Almighty God. Are we not commanded to “cast our burdens upon the Lord” with the promise “that He will sustain us.” To whom do you go with your problems?

The life of Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission is one long testimony to the ability of God to help in time of need. In seventy years God provided the China Inland Mission with the enormous sum of 5,103,701 pounds sterling of unsolicited funds to carry out their work. The need as it presented itself was made known to God and He supplied it.

On the outskirts of Philadelphia is a home for orphaned children. This home is supported entirely by faith. One day they were without potatoes for the children. In the morning the workers through prayer made the need known to God. They were hardly off their knees when the telephone rang and they were informed that a load of potatoes was waiting for them at the front gate.

“Be not dismayed what ere betide, God will take care of you.” Yes God cares for His own. No matter what your need may be, take it and lay it at the feet of God. He is ready, willing and able to solve all problems for you. It may be that you are in financial distress; He who feeds the birds of the air will likewise care for you. It may be that you are in the depths of sorrow, He that sticks closer than a brother will comfort you. No matter what the problem may be, take it to the Lord.

Then we see that the woman did as she was commanded to do. In this obedience we see the true test of faith. Faith that will not admit of action is not faith at all. Faith is active it is not static, it is dynamic it is not passive. Faith that does not touch the well spring of action is not faith at all. The woman had faith that God would help her or she would not have gone to His servant. But that faith was useless until she put it to the test by doing that which was commanded of her.

Do you believe in the multiplication table? Do you really? If you do, then you will use it to solve your problems, and when you have so used it you will find an increased security in it.

If you have faith in your automobile, then you will be unafraid to start a long journey in it. Rather you will start with the joy and feelings of security for you believe in its ability to take you to your destination.

If you have faith in your doctor, then you will take his medicine and follow his advice. If you do not take his medicine, then you are proving to the world that you do not have faith in him. If you do not take his advice, then you show that you do not believe what he tells you to do to be necessary for your welfare.

The woman went to the right source for help but more than that she had true faith in the one to whom she went. She carried out his directions. God shows us what He would have us to do, but do we always prove that we trust Him by doing that what He commands?

Naaman the leper came to Elisha to be healed. In order that his might be affected, he was commanded to go and wash seven times in the river Jordan. But this proud Syrian general rebelled against washing in the dirty water of the Jordan. “Why must I wash in the Jordan?” can the waters of the Jordan cure me? I have better rivers in my own land of Damascus. Why can I not wash in them and be clean?” Because Naaman was unwilling to do the simple things that God commanded him, he was denied healing. It was not the waters of the Jordan that had the power to cleanse Naaman’s body, God alone had that power. But God wanted Naaman to do that which God wanted him to do. Because Naaman was too proud to obey the command of God, he went away with his body unhealed. But the servants of Naaman came to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had commanded thee to do some great thing, would thou not have done it? How much rather then what he said to thee. Wash and be clean.” Naaman listened to the wisdom of his servants, overcame his pride and went and bathed in the Jordan. The result was that his leprosy was cleansed. He obeyed God and received help.

When God commands us to do something, let us have faith in Him and do as He commands. It might be that He would have you teach a Sunday School Class, if you would be blessed of Him, do it. It may be that He wants you in full time service, do it. It may be that there is some secret fault in your life that He would have you cast out. By His power, cast it out. No matter what God would have you do, obey His command for only then will He be able to aid you in times of trouble. If we love Him, then we will do as He commands us.

Finally, we see that the woman used just what she had. She had only a small pot of oil but when used in accordance with the will of God it was increased and multiplied. A little is enough when God is honored. He takes us just as we are and builds us according to His purposes, He takes are talents and endows them with His power, He takes just whatever we have to offer and uses them to the honor and glory of His name.

When we come to God, He asks the same question as was asked the widow, “What hast thou?” and what ever we have to offer, that is what He uses. It may be only a grain of Faith, but He will use it and cause it to multiply. No matter how trivial a thing we offer God, He can use it. With God these small things of life count for the most. It was only a rod in the hand of Moses, but used for God it caused the Red Sea to roll back, and it caused water to come forth from a dry rock.

David had only a sling with which to face a giant who was clothed in heavy armor. But that sling, consecrated to the use of God was sufficient to cause the death of the giant.

The lad only had five loaves and two fish, but dedicated to Christ they fed five thousand people.

Not all of us have the same to offer to Christ. Some of us have many gifts, others have only a few. God knows are capabilities and our requirements. He knows that some of us are capable of only handling one talent, while others are capable of using ten talents. Whether we have only one pot of oil, or many vessels, God would have us use all of them as He directs. From those of us who have much, He expects much; from those of us who have little, He expects less. Therefore, we have no reason to feel puffed up with pride because we have much, or to be downhearted because we have only a little. Only give all to the Master.

If we use faithfully that which we have, then God will see that it increases. The foundations of colossal fortunes have been laid because their builders took advantage of little things. It was a long jump from the humble cabin wherein Abraham Lincoln was born to the White House, but it was made because he took advantage of his small talents and as a result others were added.

This principle is true in the spiritual world as well in the material world. When we use our spiritual gifts He will cause them to increase as did the pot of oil. Alexander Raleigh, one of the most outstanding of preachers in London in the nineteenth century began as a young man to take an interest in Sunday school. The faithful use of these talents drew the attention of the leaders to him and he asked to speak before the young people. His pastor took an interest in him and guided him through college and seminary and on out into the active ministry. By the faithful use of a few gifts, they were increase by God.

“What hast thou in the house, “asked Elisha. “Only a small pot of oil,” replied the woman. When we go to God with our problems He asked the same of us. “What hast thou? Only poor stammering lips, only a small faith, only an ability to pray, only the fag end of a misused life, only a life restricted by home ties and duties,” we will reply. What hast thou? It matters not what it may be. Only use it for Him to the honor and glory of His name.

Dr. Robert W Kirkpatrick

First Presbyterian Church, Saint Albins W Va, August 21, 1946