Post by Oluwatosin Oni (@oloriireoni)
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 16 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”
This verse is Jesus’ mission statement, read from the scroll of Isaiah in the Nazareth synagogue.
BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 4:1-7
This passage, familiar from previous devotionals, is the story of the widow of a son of the prophets. Her husband died, leaving behind a massive debt. The creditor was coming to take her two sons as slaves. She had nothing in her house but a small pot of oil. Elisha instructed her to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors, shut the door, and pour the oil. The oil flowed until every vessel was full. She sold the oil, paid the debt, and lived on the remainder.
The Housemaid’s Song: From “The Fire Is Burning” to “He Has Done It for Me”
1. The Song of the Unconsumed Bush
“Some years ago, we had a housemaid who would always sing, ‘The fire is burning the bush, and the bush is not consumed. How great is our God!’ every time we asked her to bring up a song during our family prayers. One day, it occurred to me to ask her what the unconsumed bush she always sang about was.”
This is a fascinating testimony. The girl sang about the burning bush (Exodus 3)—where God appeared to Moses in a flame that did not consume the bush. It was a song of survival, of not being destroyed despite the fire.
The Song’s Lyrics Possible Meaning
“The fire is burning the bush” The pressure, the trial, the burden
“The bush is not consumed” Surviving, but not yet delivered
“How great is our God” Acknowledging God even in the struggle
“When I did, I discovered that she became a housemaid because her parents were heavily in debt and could not pay their bills.”
The “fire” was her family’s debt. The “bush” was their household, burning but not yet consumed. She was working as a housemaid because her parents could not afford to keep her at home. The debt had forced their daughter into service.
“Therefore, we decided to pay off all the debt.”
Daddy Adeboye did not just pray for her. He acted. The debt was paid. The fire was extinguished.
2. The New Song
“After paying the debt, the next time we asked her to suggest a song when we wanted to pray, she sang something different. This time, her song was, ‘He has done it for me. What my father cannot do, He has done it for me.’”
Before the Debt Was Paid After the Debt Was Paid
“The fire is burning the bush” “He has done it for me”
“The bush is not consumed” (still burning, still in danger) “What my father cannot do, He has done it for me”
A song of survival A song of deliverance
Hope that the fire would stop Testimony that the fire has stopped
“If you are under any burden of debt, I pray that this will also be your song soon, in Jesus’ name.”
Not “the fire is still burning.” Not “we are not consumed.” But “He has done it for me.” Complete deliverance. Debt paid. Freedom declared.
The Widow’s Debt: A Testimony of Supernatural Provision
1. The Desperate Situation
“Today’s Bible reading tells us the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets who was in debt. When the creditors threatened to sell her sons into slavery as a means to offset the debts, she cried unto the Burden Bearer, as there was nothing she could do on her own.”
Consider the widow’s predicament:
Her Problem The Stakes
Massive debt she could not pay Creditor was coming
No husband, no income Her two sons would be taken as slaves
No resources, no collateral She was helpless, hopeless
She had no job. No savings. No wealthy relative to call. No credit card to borrow from. She had nothing except a pot of oil and a desperate cry.
2. The Burden Bearer’s Response
“God gave her more than enough to pay her debts and live comfortably with her sons.”
What She Had What God Provided
A pot of oil Oil that flowed into many vessels
A desperate need More than enough
Fear of losing her sons Sons freed from slavery
Debt that seemed impossible to pay Debt paid in full
Nothing left over after the debt Enough to live on comfortably
“She cried unto the Burden Bearer, as there was nothing she could do on her own, and the tide turned.”
This is the key. She did not try to fix it herself. She did not borrow from another lender. She cried out to God. And God answered.
God’s Desire: Debt-Free Living
“It is God’s desire for all His children to live debt-free because debts are heavy burdens, and debtors are always at the mercy of their creditors.”
The Burden of Debt The Reality
Debt is a heavy burden It weighs on the mind, body, and spirit
Debtors are at the mercy of creditors Creditors dictate terms, impose interest, demand payment
Debt steals peace You cannot sleep while owing what you cannot pay
Debt limits your future You cannot serve God fully when
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