Complicated Hope

As the daughter, granddaughter and niece of ministers, I’ve been honored to be the guest in so many people’s homes. Big houses, little houses. Mansions and shacks by the railroad tracks. I’ve been in a house made from a school bus and I’ve ran races through a “shot-gun house”, where there is a straight line from the front door to the back – complete with slamming screen door.

When we drive in the city and across the countryside, I often find myself looking at the different types of houses along the road and wondering about the people inside. Our recent move to Indiana has shown me so many beautiful two-story farm houses beside giant barns and I wonder at all the activity that takes places on those farms. In the winter, I love seeing the lights in the windows all the homes along the road. The nights are cold and the tiny lights seem to beckon their family to return to the safety and warmth of Home.

Whether big or small, we cannot tell from the outside what lies inside the walls of any home. Love exists in the unlikeliest of places and peace is often found where none should exist. Just as no book can be judged from a cover and no man from the state of his coat, neither should the condition of the soul be judged by the place in which one dwells. There is often an abundance of love in the smallest of homes.

2 Kings 4 tells the story of a well-meaning servant who goes into the woods to gather herbs and berries for a pot of soup and unknowingly poisons the guests of the prophet Elisha. It was a time of famine and this servant was told to make a soup to feed a large group and undoubtedly, he felt overwhelmed and burdened by the instructions of his Master to “set on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets,” (v 38).

As the men become sick, it was apparent there was poisonous plants in the stew and they guests were calling out to Elisha. The prophet said to add flour to the pot and they kept on eating. Everyone fine. And there was an abundance of stew left!

We often have times when it seems we do not not have “enough” – food, clothing, time, energy, strength, love, patience, resources – and yet the things we lack are exactly what God is calling us to give and expend.

In obedience, we find that God will supply and double and at the end of our assignment, we will have more than what we though we needed.

That’s God’s Abundance!

Realizing that we have more of what we need because our Father provides for us out of His great love!

We see ourselves in Elisha’s servant, trying to obey and picking up everything that looks remotely edible to place in the pot and fulfill our Master’s command. We make mistakes. We unknowingly put poison in our pots. It makes us sick and we cry to God for help. God does. He always does. Without reprimanding or berating, God fixes our mess and then tells us to carry on.

At the the end of the day, just like Elisha’s guests, who “ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord,” (v.44) we finish our day and find we still have enough because God has provided. By His word, not our ability.

Father God, forgive me my mistakes. When I try to find ways to do things on my own and just make a huge mess of what is often a simple assignment. Whatever I have, Lord, it is yours. I know you will provide for me – I can trust You! Amen