what I'm reading: Thanks for nothing

As we've continued to look at women of the Bible in our women's Bible study, I've been struck by how Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-2 brought nothing to God but her need, and how the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 was taught by God through suffering what it means to be come to him with empty hands. Here's a post about another woman from 2 Kings 4 who came to God with nothing.

Once there was a woman with nothing. No husband, no income, no food, no prospects. Nothing. She was the mother of two boys, but her late husband’s creditor was already on his way to claim them as slaves. I think in some small way, I can relate to that.

She came to the man of God with nothing. And he said to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a little oil.” II Kings. 4:2

One terrified, desperate woman was about to learn something about nothing. She must have listened in amazement to the prophet’s instructions.

“Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.” II Kings 4:3-4

It was as if the prophet were saying, “Listen, we don’t have enough emptiness here. I want you to collect all the emptiness in the neighborhood, as much as you can beg, borrow or finagle. Then go inside.” So the widow gathered up all the nothing she had and all the nothing she could borrow and went into her empty house with sons who were no longer her own...

Click here to read the rest at Mentoring Moments for Christian Women

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