Amazing God of amazing love and amazing grace, bless the life of this dear reader in all that they face today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Here is our text for today: 2 Kings 2: 1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent." 4 Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho. 5 The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be silent." 6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." 10 He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
You and I have probably had a lot of "fathers" in our walk of life. Men to whom we have looked up and men who have blessed our lives and careers with their lives, wisdom, counsel, love, example, etc. If any of those have left us for glory, we have lost a loved one. Their passing was not easy and their absence serves to remind us of their presence in our hearts and minds. To have said goodbye was not an easy thing, and we fought against the idea of their even leaving.
Such was Elisha's dilemma as Elijah revealed God's will for his life. Elijah had served well and the day of his departure was fast approaching and every reminder of his pending leave was something Elisha did not want to hear. When the moment arrived and their time for goodbye approached, Elijah asked the young prophet what he wanted. He said, "I want you to leave me a double portion of your spirit." Elisha knew that the old man had been able to do with the presence of God in his life and his example made the younger one say, "I want to be like you!" Elijah could not promise that but he said, "if it happens, it happens, if not, it does not." Then a chariot of fire came and took Elijah to Heaven.
If we leave the story here, what have we learned? That a good example from us will bless someone else maybe to the point where they want to be like us. Are you setting such an example? Is Christ so real in your life that others want Him as well?
PRAYER: Let Jesus be real in my life. Let Jesus be powerful in my life. Let my life bless someone today to the point of their wanting to be like Him. I ask this in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
