2 Kings 6

Bible Passage:  2 Kings 6

We had an interesting Katong Home Fellowship yesterday where we discussed about the kings in brief (: And the conclusion was simple but challenging… A good start does not mean a good end.  So there is a need to constantly examine ourselves and continue to strive to do the things that pleases God all our lives.

Just like Elisha.

Today’s passage continues with the story of Elisha in the midst of a chaotic and lawless times but the presence of God is still very evident even when the people seemed determined not to know Him.

We have to read Chapters 6 to 8 for the whole story but in today’s chapter, we see Elisha first making the iron swim and then being the ‘spy’ who seems to know all the secret plans of the Syrian king so much so that the Syrian king had to send his special forces to get rid of this ‘little problem’.  But God delivers Elisha.  However, Israel was not really spared and the Syrians besieged Samaria and the city was reduced to terrible distress… but the grace and salvation that followed is recorded in tomorrow’s passage… so make sure you read it!

The stories here again are familiar as they have often been told during the children classes.  But I would just like to share one small point into what I see…

Faithful Workers With Integrity

A common lament is that there is not enough of workers in church.  There is so much work to be done but sometimes we feel like we are doing it alone and suffer from, what I like to call, the ‘Elijah Syndrome’ – thinking that I am doing it alone when actually God has many other faithful servants also doing the work.

But in today’s chapter, we see the reverse.  Elisha was with a group of prophets… and they were all eagerly working together with one heart and one mind. This stands in contrast with another servant of Elisha – Gehazi.

Gehazi, while serving God, still had seeds of materialism, unfaithfulness and hypocrisy in him.  But this group of men seemed faithful, sacrificial and determined to help the work of God by building larger quarters to cater for the growing numbers.

Among God’s people, there are usually some people like Gehazi.  But their failures and consequences of their actions… while they may affect us… we should never allow them to discourage us or cause us to be cynical over what we are doing for God.  Because if we look around, we can usually find those who are faithful.  What we need to do is to pray for the Lord of harvest to send forth faithful workers (Luke 10:2).  I am blessed with a few very good like minded friends and pray that you will also find yours in church.

There is much to learn from the way these men went about doing the work that was required.  They saw a problem – a lack of space.  They did not just talk about it, grumble about it or ignore it.  They did not expect someone else to do the work for them.

They just went about doing something about it.

Difficulties did not prevent action.

And they did so even with limited resources – the lost axe head had to be borrowed – but this lack of resources did not stop them.   Each man was willing to do his part to meet the need.  They were fully trusting in God to supply their needs.

I am sure we know the story of Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody but I think it bears repeating here 🙂

Once upon a time there were four men named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. But Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, and Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody and Nobody did the job that Anybody could have done in the first place.

Which body are we?

What strikes me about the man who lost the axe head was this… he was a man of honesty and trustworthiness.  He had respect for the property of others.  The lost axe head could have been ignored or blamed on chance or covered up in some way, but the words of the prophet, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed,” not only show his deep concern, but it demonstrates his integrity.

In doing God’s Work (especially), we must be a man of integrity.  Sometimes we see members who in doing some church work either lose or break equipment but never mention it or offer to replace it.  Or we see things being left in places it does not belong after being used and ….

We may have great gifts in certain areas that we are able to serve God well in… but this can never replace our spiritual integrity.  Our character and how we behave at all times will show the message that we preach – whether in church or outside or church.  This shows that the gospel message that we so desperately want to share… has impacted the messenger as well… and there is no more powerful testimony.