A Double Portion

Read: 2 Kings 2:6-12

"The thorny ground represents the hearts of people who listen to the Good News and receive it, but all too quickly the attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and lure of nice things come in and crowd out God's message from their hearts, so that no crop is produced.” - Mark 4:18-19

After Elijah’s struggle with Jezebel, God gave him a friend and cohort, a man who longed to follow in Elijah’s footsteps. Elisha humbly served Elijah through many of Elijah’s 25 years of ministry, faithfully watching as Elijah performed miraculous deeds to further God’s Kingdom in the earth. Elisha never allowed worldly cares to distract him from following Elijah, even when Elijah advised him to do so. As a reward, God gave Elisha an inheritance of a double portion of Elijah’s spirit through which he served God for over 50 years.

God will also reward us if we serve Him with our whole body, soul – our mind, will and emotions - and spirit. He gives us His joy as our strength as we unwaveringly focus on Him, free of the worldly distractions, which tend to choke the spiritual life from us (Mark 4:18-19). God’s only desire of us is that we serve Him with “a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). We are saved to serve; not to be served. My husband is fond of quoting the question, “If every member was just like me, what kind of church would my church be?”

Is God calling you to holiness? If you are Born Again, He is. Is God calling you to serve Him? If you are part of His Body, just ask Him where He wants you to minister. Is God calling you to further His Kingdom in the earth? If you are truly converted, then your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers are just waiting for you to tell them about Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, help us not to get tangled again by the yoke of the world that so easily hinders us from serving You wholeheartedly. Help us to keep our focus singularly centered on You. Give us our daily bread and deliver us from the evil that threatens to overtake us. Let Your light so shine within us that men will see our good works and glorify You (Matthew 5:16).

Thought for the Day:

We can inherit all that God has promised, as we glorify His name and boldly ask, like Elisha did, to be blessed with a double portion of His anointing.