by Jeff T. Jo
Passage to Reflect: 2 Kings 2
There is no shortcut to growth neither to success. Though we live in a fast-phase season of life in this world where everything seems to have a shortcut at the expense of ignoring the wisdom and virtue of patience, there are valuable things in life that we cannot do but wait… or staying while waiting where the product is learning.
- Students should stay at school and WAIT TO LEARN the essential values of having an education.
- A young adult should stay at work and WAIT TO LEARN to grow socially and professionally before expecting regularization or promotion in his job.
- A pregnant young mom should WAIT TO LEARN the psychological and physiological beauty of motherhood.
- A believer should WAIT TO LEARN to grow and overcome sins and struggles in his life as he immersed himself in God’s word and be honestly vulnerable to God’s people who dearly love him.
Elisha was willing to WAIT TO LEARN from Elijah. Though he knew, as well as the other prophets, that Elijah was about to be taken by the Lord. Three times Elijah tested Elisha not to go with him but he refused saying, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you”(v4). That’s why when he asked Elijah a double portion of his spirit, the prophet replied, “You have asked a difficult thing”(v10a).
Elijah knew that whatever gifting he has it was just given by the grace of God, it was divine, he did not reproduce it by himself, a wonderful display indeed of humility. Nonetheless, Elijah said to Elisha, “… yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours- otherwise not.” And God was pleased and gracious to grant Elisha’s desire(vv13-14).
What are the lessons here?
1. Loyalty always pays off.
It is a treasured gem when you have a friend who stays with through your joys and much more through the darkest season of your life. Nowadays, people easily ditched friends who truly loves them for the sake of their personal ambitions or conveniences. Someone said, “Some people aren’t loyal to you. They are loyal to their need of you. Once their needs change, so does their loyalty.” Elisha stayed with Elijah and he received the ‘double-portion’ of his gifting.
2. Submission brings promotion.
Genuine faith is expressed most of the time in our relationship with God, in our family, in our workplaces and in the functions of our church ministry. In creation, this was demonstrated by avoiding ‘the forbidden fruit’. In the given of the Law, obedience to it. In the ministry of Jesus, it took the disciples 3 years to stay with Him and be with all throughout His ministry. Even submission in marriage displays the gospel and relationship between Christ and the church(read Ephesians 5).
3. Waiting doesn’t mean you don’t do anything.
Waiting season means ‘learning season’. There is a ladder of success but it all begins with the first step. Rushing usually leads to nothing, worse it tends us to trust our selfish ways and arrogant intelligence believing that we can do all things without God’s providence. Remember what Elijah said to Elisha? “it will be yours- otherwise not”(v10b).
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a good reminder for all of us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.” I remembered you and your family in prayer today.
