10 May (2 Kings 6-7)

2nd Kings 6

(v.7) God has done many great miracles, but He has done so many more that we don't notice as much. It's the little things in life, that if we appreciate them, we will live a more joyful and contented life. God has Elisha make a heavy axehead float...defying gravity. He didn't raise the dead or give someone sight...He did a miracle to enable an ordinary man continue his work.

Think about it...God has us do and say things that we don't know why at the time, but later, we see God working. He makes us able to work and love every day, and He always works in those that are seeking Him!

(v.12) The king of Israel is puzzled as to why Judah knows all the moves that he will make, ahead of time! This is God at work! For any of you history buffs, we can recite many instances in history, where a leader made a fateful decision, that even defied logic! This was God working! God gives us free will, and wants us to choose to follow Him, but no matter what, His plans will be done, and He will use others if we're not listening.

(v.16) I love this story! We can easily get depressed and think we're alone, but we have God and His angels all around us, protecting us! This reminds me of what Paul wrote in Rom 8:31

If God is for us, who can be against us?

(v.17) There is another part to this story...if we're not walking with God, we won't see His work in our lives, nor other people's lives. However, if we are walking with Him, we will see His handiwork in so many things during every day of our lives!

(v.22) Elisha does what Jesus told us to do in Matt 5:44 where He commands us to love our enemies and to bless them. This works with Elisha...the Syrian raiders were grateful, and they didn't attack Israel again!

2nd Kings 7

There is an important lesson to learn from this chapter...if God provides for us, we shouldn't try to talk ourselves out of accepting it. The king of Israel didn't have faith, thus, he didn't see that God had made the whole Syrian army leave all their food, tents, gold, donkeys, horses, and useful goods for the nation of Israel to have.

Sometimes we get something in life that we don't deserve, or weren't expecting. We should accept it and thank God for providing for us. And while we're at it, we should thank Him daily for giving us the free gift of salvation in His Son!!!