Today I've been doing some catch up in the book of II Kings and realized just how crazy ridiculous some of those things were. Like Elisha (aka God) turning poison soup good by just adding flour or Eisha calling down fire from heaven to kill the Isreal commander and forces coming to capture him.
Like seriously?!
However, I was struck about the tone Eisha seems to have in the miracles directly following Elijah's assessing into heaven on Chapter 1. He asks for a double portion of Elijah's gift and Elijah's response is that if Elisha sees him taken to heaven then Lord has granted his request (which He does.) However, right after Elijah "dissappears," Elisha takes Elijah's staff and says
"Where now is the Lord, God of Elijah"
He then parts a river with it - the same miracle Elijah performed right before he was taken up. Again, God grants a miraclous power to Elisha with the prophets prophesy and calling out the bear to kill the children. And then come the story of the oil that doesn't stop flowing. Yet there seemed to be a sense of bitterness or almost an unbelief in the tone Elisha.
And I start to wonder if these miracles were not so much for the people as they were for Elisha
- so that Elisha know in his spirit and with certianinty that the Lord was for him-
I just have to wonder how much I miss opportunities and God moments; all the while He's trying to affirm me that He is near. Like the man who double backs to check if I'm okay when I'm crying (literally) out to God for a word from Him at the bus stop after bible study. I almost laughed out loud on the bus 10 minutes later when I realized God had answered my prayer..
Not in the way I thought or wanted which was to have a bible study companion come
and speak love and ecnouragement to me but even better that a pure stranger stopped
to check on me and extend the love of God.
It was like he was saying, "I'm here and that's all you need. I hear you and I will meet your every need - and I can do it no matter how odd it seems." Moments of blessings even in other people's lives in which He whispers to me "I am here. Trust in me. I will do what I say."
And it's not that He has to for my usually stem from my from my unbelief, not from His unfaithfulness.But still He chooses. He chooses to pursue me in such a way that it's unmistakably Him. He chooses.
That's when you get to the moments of Elisha's proclaimation in II Kings 6: 16-19:
"Do not be afraid..Those who are with us are more
than those who are with them."
And Elisha prayed, "Oh Lord, open his eyes so he may see."
Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes and
he looked and saw the hills full of horses and
chariots of fire around Elisha."
I don't know what situation you're in right now. What mountain you are climbing or valley you're persevering through. What river your forging or maybe what fiest you are celebrating.
But for me, I feel like I'm being called to full of faith.
Life isn't what I had planned in the least bit. In just a month and a half, I will be moving for my third time in the 9 months that I've lived in DC and have started my third job in the same amount of time. Neither the job nor the home what I thought I wanted nor do I really understand why I do now...But I know it's a time God is calling me...
Calling me to rest, to trust, to prepare, to live life instead of planning for the future steadfastly!
And as always, I can choose to celebreate it and enjoy it for th season that it is. Or I can fear it and "What if" my way past it, missing the point - not to mention the contentment and peace of resting in the Lord's plan.
So today I pray Elisha's prayer for his servant
"Oh Lord, open my eyes that I may see."
and that we leave the "what I see " to Him!
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