Dear Ones:
In the book of 1st Kings: 7:1-8:6, we have an amazing story of how the Lord deals with His people, to show His mercy, and to win their hearts. The Syrians had laid siege to Israel, and had cut off food the food supply. With famine facing the Israelites, God would intervene through Elisha to give the people an amazing word of hope, one so extraordinary that it was difficult to believe. The Lord would promise abundance of food and provision in such large quantity, and this by “tomorrow,” that only those who truly believed in the Lord, and in Elisha as his faithful messenger, would believe it. The Lord would intervene in a most extraordinary way, the city would be saved, and most certainly, a good many people would be drawn back to God.
Four people who played an essential role in the “blessing and provision” of God in this story would be lepers. Condemned by their country men, and pursued by a deadly debilitating disease, they cast caution to the wind, and decided that it was best to go to the host of the Syrians (the enemy) for help rather than waste away outside the city gate. It will be by twilight that they will rise up and go to the camp of the enemy, only to find it deserted, and yet, filled with all the belongings and provisions of the Syrian army. They would be the unlikely first witnesses to the grace and goodness of God towards Israel. They would go on to share the good news of God’s promised provision to the people. God still uses the least of us to declare His glory!!! He has not changed.
When we were in France, and working in a conference center, I remember there being an old water pot that rested on the stove of the kitchen. It was quite old, battered, certainly not something that would draw our attention because of its appearance. But that water pot probably had served more people than any one thing, any one person, at that conference center, and that for a good many years. It was simply a vessel that could be filled up, and poured out, a most unlikely vessel to give water to so many….but it did. And so will we be, if we are in the hands of the Master, resting in Him, receiving from Him, all that He desires to give for the sake of others. How MUCH MORE could He accomplish in and through us if we were just available, receptive, rejoicingly expectant of His blessing, as we love and serve others. He remains that one who is able to do “the exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.” Can we trust the God of Elisha, the God of Israel and four lepers, to do the same today?
Love, Dad