When Elisha told the widow in 2Ki 4 to "Go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons," it was to close off the world for a miracle. As Cowman writes in Streams in the Desert (Apr 5), it was necessary for them "to be isolated from everyone, separated from human reasoning, and removed from the natural tendencies to prejudge their circumstance".
Only God can really help us. If we depend on others, we cannot glorify God. Depending on God alone is the key to glorifying God, which is the key to a fruitful and happy life. The widow's situation was absolutely desperate. She was about to lose her two sons due to debts. Never mind that she shouldn't have worked up so much debt, or that they were or were not her fault. She had to save her children from becoming slaves and herself from being left all alone. To ask for empty jars took humbleness. It was an act of faith. What happened next was between her and the Lord. So the door had to be shut and locked. The miracle of the oil is like that of Jesus and the wine, when only a few servants knew the miracle.
So our personal miracles aren't intended for widespread knowledge. Let others assume God has helped us. We don't have to tell them all the specifics. They probably wouldn't believe us anyway. Let them wonder!
Secrets, and secret miracles, need to be guarded. My new job is such a miracle. I thank God for it, and for the loss of my old one, which held me in a place the Lord has determined to move me from. I feel somewhat like a nomad, like Abraham "living in tents", rather than in a stead job I can keep for long years. And I am thankful for this. I will not say that it was miraculous, but I most certainly thank God for doing this for me. May God now help me to have the strength, integrity, wisdom and diligence to fulfill my new role for His glory.
All praise to Jesus!
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