Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash
Hi there,
I hope you have had a peaceful Christmas no matter how you spent the time. It’s been a while since I posted anything here. Truth be told, it has been a combination of creating my recently launched DNA Journal, DNA deck of encouragement cards and juggling work, family life and everything else in between! Most days, it wasn’t from a lack of what to share, but overcoming what lay between what was on my heart and a new page.
Someone needs to design an App which types straight from your thoughts! I’m smiling just at the thought of it! Imagine how many book ideas would literally come to life that way! But I digress. Like most things that we need to do – finding reasons not to do or to do them isn’t the same thing as just doing it. So even though it’s been a while – time for one more blogpost on this side of the year. Thank you for sticking around and logging on, particularly today. Let’s dive in, shall we?
“So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 2 King 4: 1- 7 NASB”
The widowed wife of one of the sons of the prophets had debts and no means to pay them. She cried out to Elisha about her predicament; the creditor was coming to take her two sons away as payment for the debt. Elisha answers her with a question. “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
“Tell me”
Many of us are telling God what we don’t have, and He is saying, “Tell Me what you have”
“Tell me, what do you have (of value) in the house” Elisha asked the widow, because sometimes what can be done for you is linked to what you already have. “I have nothing except a jar of oil”
Oh! for eyes to see what we have in-spite of how things appear.
In Matthew 14: 13 -21 Jesus had been teaching a large crowd and healing the sick among them. Evening came and the disciples wanted to send the people away. It was getting late and considering the remote location, they wanted Jesus to send the people away, so they could go to the villages to buy food for themselves.
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” the disciples answered. They thought they were just going to point out the “problem” to Jesus. They were not expecting to be part of the solution! Instead, He tells them, not an option, you deal with this one. That forced them to look around for what they might have. And thereafter, they tell Jesus what they had -five loaves and two fish.
Jesus multiplies what they have, and it becomes more than enough to feed five thousand men besides women and children.
Tell me?
What are you telling God?
I have no money. Do you have skills you haven’t considered yet?
You have an empty nest. Do you have the time, heart, and patience to lend to another family or mama that could benefit with having a seasoned hand to help?
I don’t know what my purpose is. I don’t even know what I have! Maybe that’s you. Fret not, God specializes in pointing out what He has already given us; what He has equipped us with.
Gideon – Go in the strength that you have! (Judges 6:11-16)
Moses- “What is that in your hand?” “A staff”. “Throw it on the ground.” (Exodus 4: 1-4)
Mary – You are a virgin; the Messiah will be born from your womb. (Luke 1:26- 38)
Rahab – You have your perception to spot opportunities of a lifetime. (Joshua 2)
“Tell me, what do you have (of value) in the house?” 2 Kings 4:2 AMP. Do you think the God who knows everything doesn’t know what it is, that you have (or don’t have)? If He is saying tell me, it is because He wants you to be aware of that thing. The synonyms of “tell” are communicate, announce, declare, say, reveal and state to mention but a few.
Tell Me … Declare to me
Let the poor say that I am rich. Let the weak say I am strong. Instead of speaking lack, speak fullness. Gideon, you are a mighty man of valour, don’t speak to Me of Midianites stealing form you and causing you to hide out here. Don’t tell that you are weak and that your family is the least in Israel. Just in case you need reminding – you are a mighty warrior. You are strong!
Do you feel lonely and rejected? Tell yourself and Him – I am incredibly loved. I am desired not abandoned. He already knows that about you, He just wants you to be aware of it, the same way He is. Tell Me His ears are not deaf that He cannot hear you…
David wrote in Psalm 116:1, “I love the Lord for He heard my voice.” The old hymn comes to mind “Oh! What a friend we have in Jesus … Oh, what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Everything. Don’t let this year end without you having some moments by yourself to really talk to Him. Tell Him what you have. Thank Him for what you have and what He has done. Tell Him about what you will have one day. In relation to that, you can start by thanking Him instead, as if you’ve already got the many jars of oil instead of a little jar of oil.
Thank Him that you are healed, loved, and favoured.
Cast your eyes over the New Year and tell Him that He has you and you have Him. And because you have Him, you have all that you need! And that, my friend, is more than enough for each day of every year that we live!
Thank you for reading. God bless and keep you into the next year and beyond.
Emi x
Recent Comments