GOOD MORNING! KING JOASH KNEW THE DYNAMIC PROPHET WELL. HE DEMONSTRATED HIS FAMILIARITY WITH ELISHAS HISTORY BY QUOTING THE PROPHETS EXACT WORDS. HE LIKELY RECOGNIZED ELISHAS KNACK FOR USING EVERYDAY ITEMS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF MIRACLES, WHETHER TOSSING A STICK INTO A RIVER TO FLOAT A LOST AXE HEAD OR PRESCRIBING BATHS IN THE JORDAN RIVER TO HEAL LEPROSY. SO WHEN ELISHA COMMANDED HIM TO TAKE ARROWS AND SMITE THE GROUND , JOASH SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS IN STORE. IN FACT, THE PROPHET HAD MADE THAT QUITE PLAIN AFTER THE FIRST ARROW SWISHED OUT THE WINDOW. SMITING THE GROUND WAS A SIMPLE ORDER, EASY TO CARRY OUT. IT MADE NO GREAT DEMANDS ON EITHER THE KINGS STRENGTH OR HIS SKILLS. BUT SOMEHOW HIS HEART WASNT IN IT. PERHAPS JOASH FELT A BIT LIKE NAAMAN, WONDERING WHY HE SHOULD DO SOMETHING SO UNIMPORTANT, SOMETHING THAT HELD NO APPARENT BENEFIT. AFTER THREE STRIKES , HE CONSIDERED IT GOOD ENOUGH AND TURNED BACK TO THE DYING PROPHET. BUT IT WASNT GOOD ENOUGH. THE KINGS HALFHEARTED OBEDIENCE COST HIM AND HIS PEOPLE COMPLETE FREEDOM FROM THEIR ARCHENEMY. THE MOMENT OF OPPORTUNITY PASSED. BLESSINGS WERE LOST FOREVER. GOOD ENOUGH. THOSE WORDS OUGHT TO RAISE A CAUTION FLAG AS TO THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART IN RELATION TO OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES ARE SO FLEETING. SO MUCH OF THE MUNDANE IS SO VITAL THE NURTURE OF CHILDREN, THE RESPONSE OF TEMPTATION, THE TIME IN THE PRAYER CLOSET, THE FLEETING YEARS OF YOUTH, OR BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH A LOST SOUL. IN ALL THESE THINGS, OUR FAITHFULNESS IN THAT WHICH IS LEAST WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE DRAMATIC EFFECTS ON OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US. HALFHEARTED OBEDIENCE YIELDS LOST OPPORTUNITIES. LOST OPPORTUNITIES YIELD UNREPAYABLE DEBTS.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:13:54 +0000
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