I was studying some powerful accounts of provision in scripture today. There is a very insightful passage in 2 Kings chapter 3 about the Lord’s nature. He is not a ‘just-enough’ God.
2 Kings 3:17-20 17 For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ 18 And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19 Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” 20 Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
I want to highlight some things from this passage. Three kings banded together with their people and resources and were going to fight against Moab. As they went out on their route marching around for seven days, there was no water for the army or the animals. They sought out a man of God to tell them what He would say about their situation. This is where Elisha comes in. He prophesied to them to dig ditches to prepare for the water the Lord would bring. Notice the scripture says that providing water in the dry land was a “simple matter in the sight of the Lord”. Then we see the the word “also” appear. Not only would the Lord provide water for them, but He would “also” deliver their enemy (the Moabites) into their hand. Then we have another “also” about how they would conquer, and then a “suddenly” on the following day, when the word of the Lord came to pass.
There are a lot of good words in this passage! It was simple for the Lord. He also provided the victory over their enemy, and then suddenly the word of the Lord came to pass.
The thing you and I are seeking God for is a simple matter in His sight. I know it can seem difficult to us when we have our eyes on circumstances, but He is the God of all creation. He can easily bring water to dry land. He can easily supply food for the prophet from the ravens. He can easily get everything to us that we need. I think we limit Him sometimes by focusing on the one thing that we need the most at the moment and making it really big in our minds. Yes, the thing that is weighing the heaviest on us, or the thing that is putting the most pressure on us can feel insurmountable, but did you notice that not only did He provide the immediate need, He also delivered their conquering victory to them? He is not a ‘just enough’ God! I have heard it said this way, according to these verses, He is an ‘also’ God! He can and wants to do more than one thing for you and me at a time.
Ephesians 3:20, Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
Reading further in 2 Kings chapter 4 we come to the widow woman with one jar of oil. Her sons are about to be sold to their creditors to pay off debt. She seeks Elisha for help. Elisha asks her “what shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She says she only has a jar of oil. Elisha tells her to go borrow empty vessels, a lot of them, and pour the oil into those vessels and set aside the full ones. She followed his instructions and the oil did not run out until she had no more empty vessels to fill. At the direction of the man of God, she put to use what she had and the Lord multiplied it.
Notice when Elisha asked her what she had in her house, she answered with what she considered to be her deficiency.
She saw her limitation – one jar of oil. Elisha saw her miracle – one jar of oil.
When Jesus went to a deserted place by Himself, a multitude of people followed Him there on foot. When it was late in the day the disciples told Jesus to send the multitude away into the villages so they could buy food.
Matthew 14:16-18, But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.”
You know the rest of the story. Jesus looked to heaven, blessed the bread and broke it and the bread and fish multiplied so that they fed 5,000 men plus the women and children with them. There were 12 baskets full of leftovers!
The disciples presented Jesus with their limitation – only 5 loaves and 2 fish. Jesus saw their miracle – the 5 loaves and 2 fish.
Jesus is not limitation minded. Why are we? I challenge myself to think bigger, believe for more, and see what might look like limitation as a miracle about to unfold.
Be encouraged today that He can do exceedingly, abundantly above all you can ask or think. He is not a just-enough God but an overflowing, more than enough, and also God!