Be Still...and Know

Friday, September 29, 2023

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.  So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.  Let the oceans roar and foam.  Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!  

….“Be still, and know that I am God!  I will be honored by every nation.                          I will be honored throughout the world.”  Psalm 46:1-3, 10

When the storms of life head your way, it becomes an absolute necessity to know and trust the strength of the position you occupy.  It won’t do to start fixing the roof when the raindrops begin.  This is why Scripture constantly tells us, shows us, and reminds us to meditate on God, to study His Word, and trust His strength, rather than our own.  He is our roof, walls, and foundation; He wants us to survive the storms.  So…this morning, let’s meditate on God in the stillness:

Be Still and See His Creation

The Psalmist tells us God created all that we can see, as well as that which we still haven’t discovered.  Take a deep breath and contemplate how God has put you together, intricate, beautiful, capable of great kindness and compassion, having free will to serve goodness or evil; you are fearfully and wonderfully-made.

Be Still and See His Gentleness

With all His power to create the universe, God made sure we would have the tenderness to be gentle with that which is vulnerable.  What trust our God has in us to ennoble us with such gifts that display His image in us.  We are blessed with a family resemblance.

Be Still and See His Kindness  

God did not have to create us, or be gentle with His creation, but rather chose to do so because of His nature to be kind.  Even the covenant word used for God’s promises to all who look to him as Father…the word is lovingkindness.  That is the stuff of His creation and promises.

Be Still and See His Majesty

Mountains, plains, seas, sky, and all that is in them, declare the handiwork of God.  And with all of that to display his glory, God also has not chosen to live in a house made with bricks, mortar, wood, or stone; God lives within the crown of His creation…humankind.  He decorates his abode with love, compassion, and eternal life.

Be Still and See His Mercy

In the storms of our lives, God is there; He cares what we’re going through, and what we’ve learned, how much we’ve suffered, or laughed.  He knows us so fully…every molecule of our body, every thought of our being, every tear we’ve ever shed is collected in His bottle, and He knows every pure or vile thing we’ve thought or done.  And in His mercy, we are loved.

For You Today 

What could we possibly add to Creator, Gentle, Kind, Majestic, and Merciful? 

Tons more…we have just barely touched the slightest glimmer of the grandeur of God’s glory.  And the greater news is, for those who love Him and call Him Father, we will have an eternity to explore all He is, and the greatest measure of His love, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image(s) courtesy of The Chosen via Wikimedia                      

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

How Can This Be?

Thursday, September 28, 2023

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.  After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus.  “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us.  Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”  “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”  Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows wherever it wants.  Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”  “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.  John 3:1-9

How can it be?  I would imagine if you told someone unfamiliar with American history that a back-woods, self-educated country boy in 1860 would be elected President of the United States, that visitor would wonder How can this be?  If you told a man two hundred years ago that in the future people would get in a big silver colored coach in New York and sail through the air at 500 miles an hour, landing safely in Los Angeles just six hours later, he’d say How can this be?  And if you told anyone living in Paris a hundred years ago that jingling, vibrating in that person’s back pocket would be Grandma calling him from Idaho in the States, and by pressing a button you’d see her, talk to her, and make plans to meet the next day for lunch in New Mexico, they would not only ask How can this be…they’d also arrange for you to meet the gatekeeper at the psych-ward.

That was the question of the evening for Jesus.  Nicodemus asked him how can a man go through the birth canal a second time?  I can imagine Jesus smiling and chuckling over that one.  But then it got serious.  Jesus was talking to a man of age, not a schoolboy, a man of great learning, you didn’t get to be a Pharisee, and a leader of Israel without intense study…and he was talking to a man of enormous influence, a respected teacher of Scripture.  Jesus told him to take all his age and life experience, all his study and certificates, and all his leadership awards honorary degrees and….dump ‘em…begin again…start over![1] 

As a person mid-way through the eighth-decade of life, I groaned when I heard those words in my mind and heart, just as assuredly as Nicodemus must have looked for the nearest exit.  How can you spend your life studying about God, teaching about God, serving God, and loving God….and then just dump all that life experience to start over?  And what does that even mean?

Then it clicked-in.

When you count on all you’ve seen…all you’ve experienced…all you’ve done, written, and the way people have said Good Job, man…that’s what you’ve got; you’ve got YOU in the center of the stage in Congratulatory Hall accepting awards and stars on your crown.  Suddenly God’s not in focus…you are!  That’s what Jesus was telling Nicodemus.  Or me.  Or you.

For You Today 

Today, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve lived the most perfectly acceptable successful life, done everything right, or if you’ve wasted every second and breath you’ve been given.  What matters is who is being worshipped right this moment.  In what Kingdom do you live, breathe, and have your being?  Who sits on the throne of your heart?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image(s) courtesy of The Chosen via Wikimedia                      

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

---

[1] This thought comes from Dr. John MacArthur’s Grace to You broadcast, September 27, 2023

Through the Eyes of Innocence

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”  Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.  Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.”  Matthew 18:1-5

There is an enormous difference between childish and childlike.  Childishness is unthinking, except for pleasing self and having a dry diaper.  Childlike is to capture the wonder and joy of good things, and to be appalled at the monstrous evil it encounters, choosing to enter the good, and destroy the nightmare of darkness.

C.E. Montague wrote the novel "Rough Justice."  The hero, Bron, is age four when he first visits church.  That day was the first he'd ever heard of the crucifixion of Jesus.  He was so horror-struck that he thought the whole church must be in tears.  But when the service ended, instead of the hushed awe he expected, a deafening clatter of small talk broke out.  Bron was astonished to find Christian people laughing and talking as if no tragedy had taken place. 

It may be that having one’s eyes opened to the truth is necessary for children to learn the “ways of the world”.  But it saddens one to think of the disappearing spark of innocence one can easily see in the face of a child’s trusting, joyful, face. This is what God must have seen that day in the Garden, when Adam and Eve hid themselves after they first sinned.  Innocent eyes that once walked in complete trust with their Maker, were now clouded by guilt, shame and suspicion!

Perhaps it was one of the disciples’ children that Jesus called to himself, and sat the little one upon his knee.  He told the disciples the answer to their question about who was greatest in God’s Kingdom, was what they saw, an innocent trust of being held in complete safety, unafraid, expectantly waiting for the next good moment.  The little one, unaware of the gravity of the question, or the depth of Jesus’ answer, simply wondered in that moment; am I a part of that kingdom?  Jesus was telling his disciples to lose the corporate mindset of climbing the ladder of achievement, and become like that child, only concerned to being affirmed as belonging, wondering, enjoying, and seeking the embrace of a Father’s love.

I’m certain the disciples came away from that morning’s lesson examining every word their Master had said, pondering what they were still missing, and if it was ever going to get easier following Jesus.  And isn’t that the way it is with children trying to get some understanding with their parents?  Yet parents sometimes forget what it’s like to be that child; we forget how much that embrace means.  In our own sinful nature we cannot see through innocent eyes; our vision is blurred by guilt and shame.  It is impossible to return to Eden once the door has been flung-open, and that is Jesus’ whole point.  He was there to be the pathway back into the Father’s embrace, because there was no other way.  His whole mission was to transcend the impossibility of return to innocence by destroying evil’s monstrous claim on our souls.  That would be what happened at Calvary’s cross when Jesus uttered those three blood-stained words:  It is finished!

For You Today 

When a door has been opened, nothing is truly settled.  For there to be fulfillment of what was intended on the other side of that door, one must, of his own choosing, walk through the door.  God has granted us free-will, a choice to walk back into His embrace, or to remain in our success mode, climbing the ladder to nowhere but frustration and ulcers…and eventually, eternal separation from Him.

So…what do YOU choose?    

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image(s) courtesy of Pixabay.com                      

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Smooth Talk - Poison Heart

 

 

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters.  Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught.  Stay away from them.  Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests.  By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.  But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord.  This makes me very happy.  I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.  Romans 16:17-20

Apostle Paul could speak to the believers at Rome with confidence because his heart for them was filled with genuine love.  This is the same love that God had for all humanity, displayed on a cross at Golgotha, the town garbage dump of Jerusalem.  From the earliest moments of Jesus’ ministry people were either blessed or angered by the carpenter from Galilee.  Those who received his love told the truth about how their lives had changed; those who resisted his love told lies about Jesus then, and still do.  To the people at Rome, Paul had brought the message of God’s gospel of Jesus Christ.  The result was gladness in the hearts of those who heard with open hearts; the self-righteous powerful rulers responded with angry venom.  Jesus was crucified by that same kind of prideful human rebellion.

The apostle called those who were misleading innocent folks smooth talkers using glowing words….but having selfish motives…a poison heart.  That is, unfortunately, not a phenomenon confined to the first century.  Lies are everywhere in any era or community.  It began in the Garden of Eden, as the serpent smooth-talked Eve into the first bite of rebellion.  It continues today to write the tragedy of refusing godliness in favor of selfish gain.  You will see it in every walk of life; when there is something to be gained (money, power, prestige, or just some evil satisfaction), a clever lie will be the hinge upon which the door of deception swings.

A church I once served was without a music director.  Of all things, I (who cannot even carry someone else’s tune) was leading the singing.  A group of a dozen visitors showed up one Sunday morning.  After the service, Carl, a very distinguished-looking member of that crowd, invited me to visit him the next evening.  I showed up, and was treated to two hours of Carl lauding his musical talents – complete with solo and framed music course certificates.  The evening ended with Carl’s statement:  Preacher, me and those other families want to join your church…if you’ll make me the song leader.  I told him I thought he and those other folks would probably be happier in another church.  Now, I didn’t know the man from Adam’s housecat.  But I did know that anytime there’s an offer-with-an-if, you’re in the middle of a business transaction.  I needed a music director, but this was Mt. Temptation.  I later found out the man had split two other churches with his marvelous music.  His wrong reasons had plenty of sound right, (complete with certificates to prove it) – but they were still wrong reasons.  He cared nothing for the church he was so generously “offering” to serve – it was his agenda and pride that mattered to the song-man.

For You Today 

It’s not a genuine Christian trait to walk around in suspicion, expecting to hear a lie in every place.  On the other hand, we are to be wise, understanding there are plenty of lies told, and always with a motive to gain something for the smooth-talker.  The best way to defeat deception is to follow Jesus’ example…He got up early enough to spend quality time with His Father.  Go thou, and do likewise!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image(s) courtesy of Pixabay.com                       

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart

Monday, September 25, 2023

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.  Psalm 119:11

The entire 119^th Psalm refers to God’s Word ^{(43 times in its 176 verses)}.  Reading this Psalm out loud, every time you take a breath, you’re going to utter the phrase thy word!  It is the design of the Author to point to His own word as the benchmark for the way we humans should live what is called covenant life, living a life faithful and fruitful in the promises and precepts of the Kingdom of God. 

This touches virtually every aspect of a human’s existence; it touches the good times and tough times, the times bathed in faith, and the times of straying off the path, as well as the times of fear.  But the weight of the Psalm (for me) is summed-up in this: 

How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.  Psalm 119:103

This is a teaching Psalm, introducing God’s people how to live in light of God’s requirements, as people of light…the goodness of God, as opposed to the darkness of God’s evil enemy.  One writer expressed it this way:

The Didactic [teaching] Songs expound the totally separate paths known from wisdom literature as the ways of “the wise” and “the foolish,” from covenant literature as those of “the obedient” and “the disobedient.”[i]

To use a common means of expressing it, there are two kinds of people in the universe – those who trust in God (and live like it), and those who don’t!  A third possibility is those who slip in-and-out of both, just can’t make up their minds.

That third possibility is actually quite-flawed, because “slipping-in-and-out” is only a superficial residence in one or the other.  It is failing to choose (for an eternity) to live as God’s child, or as the child of God’s enemy.  Scripture tells us it is impossible to please God except by faith.[ii] 

There is a difference between simply being afraid God will punish us for our sins, so we behave for a while, and fearing God in the sense of reverence, respect, and therefore choosing to obey His commands for life and eternity, by turning away from sin, so you are able to live-into that respect and reverence with obedience. 

Hiding God’s Word in your heart is exactly how you do that.  You read it every day; you study and meditate on God’s Word.  You pray like the writer of the 119^th Psalm wrote, talking to God about your fears and faith, your successes and the times you messed-up.  You ask Him for faith to live as He wants you, and strength to oppose your own stubborn will. 

That’s what spiritual warfare is all about…not movements to challenge others’ faith or practices, or shouting matches over evil stuff…it’s dealing with your own rebellious heart.  We’re all born with that, and it separates us from God and each other if we don’t root out that sin…or more accurately invite God to come root it out for you…His Holy Spirit is an expert at dealing with your heart.

For You Today 

 So…how’s it going with that?  Are you hiding His Word in your heart?  Have you sensed God is moving-in where there used to be rebellion and darkness?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image(s) courtesy of Pixabay.com  and Pixabay.com                     

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

---

[i] Asbury Bible Commentary Copyright © 1992 by The Zondervan Corporation

[ii] Hebrews 11:6  

Taking the Test of Faith

Friday, September 22, 2023

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.  Test yourselves.  Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.  2 Corinthians 13:5

I dislike tests; always have!  Generally my reasons are two-fold:

1.  Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) I just haven’t paid enough attention to preparation.  There’s nothing worse than having your ignorance tested!

2.  Nerves – I hate anxiety, the kind of apprehension that, even though I have prepared, and know the material, my mind will misunderstand the question, or my learning will prove faulty…and I will fail even though I tried.

These two reasons are why I have supreme interest-in, and deep admiration-for, those who constantly put themselves through testing.  To me it would seem masochistic to put myself through the humiliation of a test if it weren’t required. 

On the other hand, it is a healthy practice to measure where you stand when you’re trying to accomplish something.  And this was Paul’s point entirely when he strongly suggested that the believers at Corinth take the examination of faith.  This church had a myriad of disputes, power-struggles and weird practices that the apostle had to deal with.  Their idea of what Christianity looked like was more worldly than Christ-like, and Paul spent much time correcting their mistakes.  He now told them to self-examine for evidence that Christ was indeed among them.

That self-examination sounds an awful lot like what my Mom used to say to me when I left the house – remember who you are!  Paul was reminding Corinthian church folk to remember whose they are – they belonged to Christ, so He should be visible in their actions, daily relationships, and attitudes.

I still don’t like tests, and this testing of my faith in Christ – after more than fifty years of following him seriously – is no exception.  When I take an honest look at the way I serve the Lord, the fail-points of my faith can be a painful experience.

But I do it anyway.  And I’ve learned it’s not masochism – it’s healthy, because when you look back and see how Christ has led you through difficult times, and how you responded in faith here and there, and you see the different way you look at things now than you did five years ago…understanding, like Paul suggested for Corinth, that Jesus really IS among all of it is, as the hymn-writer put it, Jesus leading me all the way^[2].

And if I wouldn’t take that test of faith, just because I’m afraid, or it’s inconvenient, or some other excuse…how would I know where I stand in my discipleship…how would I know if I’m growing in Christ?  I’d be like the farmer who chose to NOT plant beans, cotton or corn because of weevils, blight or drought; he just wanted to play it safe, so he skipped checking and preparing the soil, and planting seeds.  He avoided the disaster of failure, but how will he feed his family?  And, if I followed his example, how would I feed my soul?

For You Today 

Testing our faith isn’t about embarrassment or test-anxiety, it’s learning to feed your soul, serve your King, and being ready for that great-gettin’-up-mornin’. 

It’s a test worth taking!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

(this post originally appeared as Taking the Test of Faith, 6/29/2016)

Title Image(s) courtesy of WikimediaCommons.org

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Bitter Water

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur.  They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water.  When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink.  So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”).  Then the people complained and turned against Moses.  “What are we going to drink?” they demanded.  So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood.  Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.  It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him.  He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”   Exodus 15:22-26

The children of Israel had water issues.  When they were running away from Egypt, they were stuck with too much water, the Red Sea, preventing them from getting to the Promised Land.  The Egyptian storm troopers were hot on their heels, and God parted the waters so they could walk through dust, instead of swimming (and mostly drowning).  Three days later they had the opposite issue – no water.  They complained and Moses led them to Marah…where the water was unhealthy, bitter.  God fixed that by purifying the water.  Further on in the journey they were dry once again, and God brought forth water from a rock. 

I had my own issues with a water valve this week.  The plumber came right away and did another miracle, fixed it, and charged me less than the cost of a Buick!

Normally I write in the early morning hours.  Yesterday was an exception.  I started the day by getting my dog settled with his business, and carrying him to that spot he occupies right next to my desk.  I began to write when dawn was just breaking.  Elizabeth opened the study door and the pitiful sight of my bride in pain was worse than Israel’s drought on the run.  We immediately got in the car and went to the Emergency Room.  Around three o’clock we found out she had pancreatitis, along with a secondary infection.  An hour later she was admitted and settled into a room.  It is now 8:22pm, I’ve just had supper; it’s been a day!

So what does all that have to do with Marah’s bitter water?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  Today’s events were much like Israel’s Marah experience.  When they were back in Egypt as slaves, they could at least count on having water to drink from the beautiful river Nile.  Out in the desert life became uncertain, uncontrollable.  Today reminded me of that…my sweet bride, usually smiley and always on the lookout for our family…now helplessly rubbing her side, and not wanting to do anything but be left alone.  And Russell, helpless, unable to do anything like Superman, leaping tall buildings, stopping speeding bullets; I had no way to take away her hurt.  All I could do was just sit by the bitter water of pain.  I’m not sure how many people prayed for us today; I do know my phone looked like an exhausted little puppy when the battery died.  Tons of people responded to our Facebook post, and the word spread.  When I left Elizabeth’s room at 6:30 this evening she was smiling, and looking forward to coming home tomorrow.  The doc had said, “we’ll see,” but I know that look in the woman’s eye.

So…time to wrap it up and get some sleep.  My day was planned to write.  Pain had other ideas…and like too much water at the Red Sea, too little water in the desert, and bitter water at Marah, I got frazzled and saw my weakness.  But God had the answer…even before I asked.

For You Today 

Whatever you’ve got going on today, remember where the well is located.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library. 

Title Image(s) courtesy of Pixabay.com

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

A Difficult Thing

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal.  And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”  But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!”  So they went down together to Bethel.  The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”  “Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”  Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.”  But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.”  So they went on together to Jericho.  Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”  “Of course I know,” Elisha answered.  “But be quiet about it.”  Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.”  But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.”  So they went on together.  Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River.  Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!  When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”  And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”  “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied.  “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request.  But if not, then you won’t.”  As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire.  It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.  Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!”  And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.  Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up.  Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River.  He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?”  Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.  When the group of prophets from Jericho saw from a distance what happened, they exclaimed, “Elijah’s spirit rests upon Elisha!”  And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.  2 Kings 2:1-15

Elisha would not be separated from his mentor, Elijah.  That is so like Ruth clinging to Naomi, a fierce determination to faithfully serve what God has given you.  Three times Elijah told his protégé to wait behind; three times Elisha answers with his lifelong commitment to serve God by staying close to the shadow of Elijah.  In the end it was only a chariot on fire with Heaven’s glory that could separate them.

What do we make of this event, and its place in God’s Word to us?  If you’re dissecting the event to make sense of the miracles, or wondering what part the prophets of Bethel and Jericho play, or what kind of material it would take to produce Elijah’s miracle-generating robe…we’re likely placing more weight on the miracles than on the Giver of miracles.  The main sense I see in this whole account of Elijah’s last days is the shift of God’s work that falls on the shoulders of Elisha.  He asked for a double-share of the spirit of his teacher.  Elijah called it a difficult thing.  There are two ways to take that; either it was a tricky thing for Elijah to produce it for Elisha, or a double prophet’s portion would bring a very difficult life to Elisha.  Elijah left it all in God’s hands; if that was God’s will, Elisha would see it.

For You Today 

If you’ve sat at the feet of some Godly teacher(s), you have sensed something of what God wants to do with your life.  Dare you ask for a difficult thing?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library. 

Title Image(s) courtesy of via Wikimedia.org

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©