‘He cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.’ 2 Kings 6:6 RSV
A prophet was chopping trees when his rare and valuable iron axe head fell into the river. He said to Elisha: ‘Alas, my master! It was borrowed.’ (2 Kings 6:5 NKJV) He uses the past tense. As far as he is concerned, this axe head is gone forever. He has no expectation whatsoever that the axe head will be retrieved. He shows Elisha where he lost it. Then something happens that most likely never happened before or since. Elisha ‘cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.’ (2 Kings 6:6 RSV) Notice, this isn’t a life-or-death situation. Yes, it’s a loaned axe head. Yes, it disappeared. But if that’s the worst thing you have gone through, you have led a pretty sheltered life.
You could put this into the same category as Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding party. Why waste your first miracle on helping a bride and groom avoid embarrassment because they didn’t stock enough wine for their reception? This reveals something about God. He concerns Himself with the little things, like wedding receptions and borrowed tools. Nothing is too big for our great God, and nothing is too small for Him either.
‘Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:7 NIV) Note the words ‘all your anxiety’. If it matters to you, it matters to your loving heavenly Father. ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.’ (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV) Note the words ‘all your ways’. Today God wants you to share every detail of your life with Him.
SoulFood: Deut 25–27, Mk 5:31–43, Ps 44:9–16, Prov 12:10–11
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©