JUNE 15 READINGS...2 Kings 2:1-18 & 2 Kings 2:19-25 & 2 Kings 2:19-25 & 2 Kings 4:1-44
Today we come to the end of Elijah’s ministry as prophet to Israel. As the Lord prepares him to leave, He is also preparing Elisha to take Elijah’s place. It seems like Elijah is testing Elisha’s resolve and metal. Three times he tells him to stay at a place and wait for his return…and three times Elisha refuses to leave Elijah, for the Lord had told him that today was the day Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha. After the three tests Elijah asks Elisha what he would have him do for him…Elisha asks for a double measure of Elijah’s spirit. I am not sure this was something Elijah could give…only the Lord could do such a thing…so Elijah tells Elisha that if he is with him when he is taken, he would receive his request. It was just then the Lord moved to take Elijah in a whirlwind into heaven with the chariots of Israel with him…Elisha saw this all and the Lord answered his request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. The Lord has a plan, and He has a person…He is busy preparing His person for the task He has for them…we need to be open and listening to the Lord in both the time of preparation and service.
Elisha begins his ministry of replacing Elijah as the prophet of Israel. The Lord begins to do miracles through Elisha, validating his call and ministry. Once again, I want us all to see that God does His work through His servants…God in us validates that fact that we belong to Him and are called of Him. Elisha purifies bitter water…he performs a miracle of multification in making a flask of olive oil fill many large containers, thus taking care of a widow and her sons…he is used to give an older woman and her husband, who had no children, a son, and later when that son died Elisha raised him back to life…he made poisonous stew fit to eat...and finally, he made a small amount of grain enough to feed a hundred people with much left over. The Lord is at work all around us showing Himself to be mighty…and He has privileged us to be part of what He is doing. We all need to keep our eyes on Him, and remain available…and we will see the mighty work of God, and even better, we get to be a part of it.
Please share your thoughts from today’s readings.
TOMORROW’S READINGS…2 Kings 5:1-8:15
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