TO CHEW ON: "When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you?'
'Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,' Elisha replied." 2 Kings 2:9
One day as Elijah and Elisha were walking down the road, Elijah said, “God has told me to go to Bethel. But you stay here.”
Elisha had a strange feeling about this day. Somehow he knew that Elijah wouldn’t be with him much longer. He wanted to spend every minute he could with this incredible man. “No,” he replied. “I want to go with you.”
After spending some time in Bethel Elijah said “Now God is sending me to Jericho. You stay behind.”
But Elisha wouldn’t. He walked with Elijah to Jericho.
After they had visited the prophets in Jericho, Elijah said, “Now God is telling me to go to the Jordan, but you stay here.”
“I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.
When they got to the Jordan River, Elijah took off his robe, rolled it up and struck the water. Instantly it parted and the two men walked to the other side on dry ground.
“What can I do for you before God takes me away?” Elijah asked Elisha.
What should he ask for, Elisha wondered. He knew he didn’t want money or fame or nice things. What he wanted more than anything else was to be just like Elijah. “I want a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha answered.
“That’s a hard thing,” Elijah replied “You’ll get that only if you see God take me away.”
Then, as they were walking along, out of no where a chariot of fire and fiery horses appeared. In the next instant Elijah was swept away on the chariot and out of Elisha’s sight.
“My Father! My Father!” he called out. But Elijah was gone. All that was left was his robe. Elisha picked it up and walked back the way they came. When he got to the Jordan, he did just as Elijah had done. The water parted just like before.
Prophets watching on the other side of the Jordan saw what happened. “Elijah’s spirit is on Elisha,” they said. When they met him they promised to serve him like they had served Elijah.
Elijah wanted God’s best in his life. Because he had the determination and courage to go after it, God blessed him by answering his request.
PRAYER: Dear God, please put in my heart and mind to go after Your best for me. Amen
MORE: Mentors and Models
When Elisha got to know Elijah, he wanted to be like him. When Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted as a parting gift, more than money, nice things or popularity he wanted God’s power in his life just like he had seen it in Elijah.
Is there a Bible character, or a person that you’ve read about in a book, or someone you know of whom you would say, ‘I’d like to be just like that person?
Who is it?
Why do you want to be like that person?
You can pray that God will give you the godly qualities you see in their lives.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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