Where is the LORD God of Elijah? (2 Kings 2:14).

 11 May 26

Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One

Readings:

2 Kings 1

2 Kings 2

2 Kings 3

John 3:22-36

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). 

Where is the LORD God of Elijah? (2 Kings 2:14).

Elijah knows that his ministry will end soon; his servant Elisha knows he is entrusted with filling Elijah’s sandals at his departure. Elijah tests Elisha as he travels three times, saying, “Stay here” (2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6). Similarly, three times, the disciple responds: “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” (2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6). Elisha desires to be equipped for his new role. He asks his predecessor, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (2 Kings 2:9). God honors Elisha, who stayed on Elijah like glue. We must also attach ourselves to godly spiritual mentors who train us for God’s service. 

Employment Point: Stay close to your spiritual mentor to be equipped for ministry.

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Reflections

A cute way of writing this-asking us to stick to our spiritual mentors like glue. Not so sure if they will be willing though. 😅

“But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’ ” So Elijah went.”2 Kings‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!””2 Kings‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• after learning that the Lord sent Elijah to intercept the messengers who are going to consult another God, Ahaziah tried to send captains to Elijah with 50 men each time, but were all killed when Elijah call for fire from heaven. It seems like Elijah is apprehensive on meeting Ahaziah till the third captain came and fell on his knees. Elijah only agree to go when the Lord gave him the go ahead and asked him not to fear.
• I thought that something may change when Elijah agreed to meet Ahaziah. Maybe that was what the king’s thoughts were as well. However, that’s not the case. Elijah pronounced the same verdict, this time straight in Ahaziah’s face and true enough, there was no escaping.
• Sometimes we really do not know any better right? We have a great Lord who holds us so close to our hearts and yet we never truly ever appreciated Him. In fact we betrayed Him and went for idols. We in fact called for sins to be on our heads.

“Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.”2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬, ‭4‬, ‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Elisha literally stick to Elijah wherever he goes for he knows that the Lord is taking him today. So three times, the Lord called Elijah-to go Bethel, Jericho and to the Jordan, and Elisha followed.
• I guess if you ask me. If the Lord had said that He is taking my mentor away today, I will also stick with them wherever they go. Because I don’t want to lose the last chance to see my mentor.

“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.”2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Elijah knew he was going to be taken up and he even knew when it is going to happen. And even before he has been taken up, he performed the miracle by splitting the Jordan river, witnessed by another 50 men.
• Elisha being his disciple, knew that Elijah is definitely favoured by the Lord. So He asked for an inheritance of a double portion of his spirit. I guess being the successor, you may be kind of concerned if you can do as well as your predecessor or even better.
• i think one thing I see also, is that the reliance of God has to be there. If any moment in time he relies on himself, that will bring him away from God.

“Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Elisha immediately tested if whatever he has asked for has been fulfilled. Elijah strike the Jordan with his cloak and it split into two. Elisha tore the cloak into two and struck the Jordan with it and the Jordan was split.
• All the men who witnessed this knew that Elijah’s spirit has now rested in Elisha. In a way, it became official that Elisha is indeed Elijah’s successor.

““Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.” “No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Actually I find it a bit strange here. The prophets already knew that Elijah will be taken up this day. Yet they ask to go search for Elijah. Do they not believe that the Lord will do whatever that He has promised to do? 
• Elisha knew that Elijah is gone. Up into heavens. He has no doubts about it. Perhaps the main difference why Elisha was chosen to be successor. Their faith levels are very different.

“Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” “No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Praise the Lord who always have mercy for His people. Especially those who returned. He still love them all the same.
• Elisha said those words in jest. For they were never for the Lord in those days. But thanks be to God that Jehoshaphat seeks the Lord.
• A fine reminder to us to keep seeking the Lord no matter what happens. He saves and still does.

“When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.”2 Kings‬ ‭3‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• these human sacrifices are so so unnecessary. Man like to call their own shots, thinking we are right all the time. But we are just being foolish to be relying on ourselves. We will never prosper for that is not the will of the Lord.

“To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.”John‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• John knows his place. He knows his limitations and he knows he is also not the Messiah. So whatever that was given to him is only this much. Nobody has full power to do everything except the Lord.
• Similarly, we ought to know our place. Don’t overdo anything the Lord never asks us to do. We need to be the obedient servant.

“He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• only Jesus has seen the Father and speaks the truth. Yet the people do not accept it and yes, indeed those who accepted it had their lives changed. It is the same for us too. If you have accepted Christ, then you also bear witness to Christ and testifies that He is real and alive.

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The Bedrock of God’s Love

BY OSWALD CHAMBERS

May 11

Add to your faith goodness . . . and to mutual affection, love. — 2 Peter 1:5, 7 (see moffatt)

Most of us don’t know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the supreme preference of one person for another. Spiritually, Jesus demands that our preference be for him (Luke 14:26). When the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with the love of God, we easily place Jesus first. But we must also learn to work out what God has worked in: we must act on the love he has placed in our hearts.

Before we can do this, God has to knock our pretensions out of us. Through the Holy Spirit, he reveals to us why he loves us: not because we’re lovable, but because love is his nature. God asks us to show this same love to others. He brings people we neither like nor respect into our lives, then asks that we love them as he has loved us.

We can’t reach this kind of love on tiptoe. Some of us have tried, but we were soon exhausted by the effort. Look within and see how the Lord has dealt with you. The knowledge that God has loved you to the utmost—to the end of all your sin and selfishness and wrongness—will send you out into the world to love in the same way. God’s love for you is inexhaustible. You must love others from the bedrock of this love, not on tiptoe but in a great, abandoned leap.

Neither natural love nor divine love will remain unless you cultivate it. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained by discipline. Growth in grace stops the moment you get irritated. You get irritated because there is a person in your life you don’t particularly like. Just think how disagreeable you are to God! Are you prepared to be so closely identified with Jesus that his life and sweetness shine through you all the time?

2 Kings 13-14; John 2

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

There is no allowance whatever in the New Testament for the man who says he is saved by grace but who does not produce the graceful goods. Jesus Christ by His Redemption can make our actual life in keeping with our religious profession.

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Reflections

“He brings people we neither like nor respect into our lives, then asks that we love them as he has loved us.”- This command is really something else. Yet it is also foundational for our learning.

Jesus’s commands has always been we learn from Him. And if we received that kind of love from Him, we ought to give that kind of love to others. That is how He can pour forth love to others-through us.

If you have tried to look past people’s quirks, beyond the surface, often lies something you can love the person for. It is never about looks, or how good they are. It is their hearts which is so real. And please, we are not that lovable too and yet the Lord loves us unconditionally. So who are we to say or judge who deserves to be loved? If we even dare to think this way, we end up being the most undeserving one. 

“You must love others from the bedrock of this love, not on tiptoe but in a great, abandoned leap.”- and this is true. When we love, we don’t choose. Not based on whether someone is rich or poor, not based on whether they are kind or wicked. Not based on whether they smoke or gamble. Not based on whether they hurl vulgarities or murder. It is nothing about them but it is all about God. We loved because He first loved us.

Love needs to be given freely. Because we have ever flowing love from God, He fills our cup, we too ought to fill others too. Love does not stop because someone did something wrong. He also doesn’t stop if someone sinned. Who dares to throw the first stone?

Jesus loves everyone regardless of race, language or religion. So if we have someone or a group of people in our life whom we dislike, perhaps it is time we take action to show them some love.

Let’s pray:

Thank You Abba Father for the rod and the staff. You discipline and yet comforts us. Your gentle voice only makes us more reverend of You. Thank You Abba Father for Your grace and mercy. It is enough. Praise You Father ✝️🙌🏻