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A Widow Saves Her Children: Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil, Multiplying Resources for Urban Ministry, II

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A Widow Creates

2 Kings 4:1-7

• A husband’s debts + a cranky creditor nearly cost a widow her sons’ freedom.
• The prophet’s response: What’s in your hand?
• A few drops of oil and a town full of jars later, she bought their freedom.
• It was only after she ran out of containers that the oil stopped flowing.

God’s Creativity Model in Action

• Empty, formless, and void
“His creditor is coming” to enslave sons (v.1)
• The Spirit hovered
“He revered the Lord.” (v.1)
• Lights turned on
“How can I help you?” (v.2)
• Established horizon
“What do you have in your hand?” (v.2)
• Rearranged resources
“Nothing, … except a little oil.” (v.2)
• Prepared environment
Find empty jars and, “Don’t ask for just a few.” (v.3)
• Experienced God’s provision
“Pour oil in the jars” (v.4)
• Reproduced and ruled
“She kept pouring” (v.5)
• Rested - When there were no jars left,
“the oil stopped flowing.” (v.5)


This is part 2 of 7 in a series based on the curriculum Jeremy Del Rio wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”.

Click here to purchase the workshop CD from the UYWI Store. You can download the powerpoint slides for free (PDF), along with the teaching notes (PDF).