Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Daily reading assignment – 2 Kings 6-10

The history in today’s scripture reading consists of five chapters and is too broad and the spiritual lessons too many to do justice; however, that is our task if we are to read through the Bible in one year. For the sake of today’s devotional commentary, I will pick out one highlight and make a few brief observation.

Consider the integrity evidence by a young prophet under Elisha’s tutelage (2 Kings 6:1-7).   Surely a minor miracle in light of Elisha’s many miracles; nevertheless God raising an iron axe head from the waters of the Jordan River after Elisha cast a stick on the water is a miracle only God’s blessing can explain (6:6-7)!

Elisha was overseer to a school for prophets and was preparing the next generation to serve the LORD. When the school outgrew its meeting place, the students proposed building a larger facility on the Jordan River (2 Kings 6:1-2). After Elisha gave his approval, the students set about building until a borrowed axe head fell from its handle and into the water. The poor student who had borrowed the axe bemoaned his loss and the expense to replace it (6:5). Elisha had sympathy for his student’s plea and God blessed raising the axe head from the waters.

Should you be left wondering where the lesson on integrity is found in this story, I ask you to consider the young prophet’s confession of his loss and recognition of his indebtedness and duty to return it to its owner (6:5).

Small thing you say? Insignificant?  No, I have known too many occasions where believers failed the integrity test in small things.  Something they accidentally broke, misplaced and lost, or borrowed with seemingly no conscience or concern they were obligated to replace or repay the owner for their loss.

Of course such men and women are unworthy of one’s trust in anything consequential.

Luke 16:10 “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

Copyright 2017 – Travis D. Smith