The Praying Mother: A Story of Faith and Provision
In our last blog post, we explored the incredible story of Queen Esther, a woman who prayed and fasted for her people, changing their destiny. Today, we turn to another powerful example of faith and divine intervention, found in the book of 2 Kings. It’s the story of a widow, facing the brink of utter despair, who, through her trust in God, saved her family from slavery.
“The wife of a man from a group of the prophets came to Elisha. She said, “Your servant, my husband, is dead! You know he honored the Lord. But now the man he owes money to is coming to take my two boys. He will make them his slaves!” Elisha answered, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” The woman said, “I don’t have anything there except a pot of oil.” Then Elisha said, “Go and get empty jars from all your neighbors. Don’t ask for just a few. Then you must go into your fasthouse and close the door. Only you and your sons will be there. Then pour oil into all the jars. Set the full ones to one side.” She left Elisha and shut the door. Only she and her sons were in the house. As they brought the jars to her, she poured the oil. When the jars were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another jar.” But he said, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She went and told Elisha. Elisha said to her, “Go. Sell the oil and pay what you owe. You and your sons can live on what is left.” â€â€2 Kings‬ â€4‬:â€1-7
The Widow’s Plea
Imagine the scene. A widow, grieving the loss of her husband, a man who honored the Lord, is now facing another tragedy. The man her husband owed money to is coming to take her two sons as slaves. She had lost her protector, her provider, and now faced losing her children, her future.
In her distress, she didn’t turn to worldly solutions, she didn’t sway to the left or the right. She exercised wisdom and went straight to the divine source: the prophet Elisha. She knew her God and trusted in His power to intercede.
The Divine Solution
Elisha listened to her plea and asked a simple, yet profound, question: “What do you have in your house?”
The woman replied that she had nothing but a small pot of oil. It seemed insignificant, a single item in a house of emptiness. But Elisha saw potential in that small offering. He instructed her to go and gather empty jars from all her neighbors—not just a few, but many. Then, in the privacy of her home, with the door shut, she and her sons were to pour oil into all the jars.
The Miracle of Obedience
The widow’s obedience was immediate. She left Elisha, gathered the jars, and shut the door. As her sons brought the jars to her, she poured, and the oil flowed, miraculously filling every single vessel. It was only when there were no more jars that the oil stopped.
She then returned to Elisha, who gave her the final instruction: “Go. Sell the oil and pay what you owe. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
Because of her obedience and her prayers, her children were saved. What she had, in faith, was enough for God to work a miracle.
The Power of a Praying Mother
This story is a timeless reminder of the incredible power of a praying mother. This woman was at the brink of losing everything, yet she was created for that very moment to save her children. Her faith, demonstrated through her seeking a divine source and her obedience to the prophet’s instructions, changed the course and destiny of her family.
You, too, have that power within you. No matter how overwhelming the circumstances, no matter how empty your “house” may seem, trust in God. Go to the source, exercise wisdom, and be obedient to His guidance. Your faith and your prayers can change everything.
A little oil can take you far. Fight for your sons, on your knees, in your quiet corner, close the door, grab some anointing oil and fight with strategic prayers, God’s Word and the full armor of God.
This series is about a woman or a mother who prays. We will look at mother in the Bible and how they overcame motherhood challenges. May the Holy Spirit reveal to us how to be Biblical Mothers. In Christ Jesus, Amen.
PS: don’t forget to follow along. Visit us on social media: @natashasnaturalnest
Shalom,
Following God’s Ways,
Natasha Chetty.
