Friday, July 8 ~ tammi

Today's reading from the Chronological OT/NT Reading Plan is 2 Kings 4-6; James 2.

Our passage in 2 Kings today is sort of the bulk of the prophet Elisha's story.  It includes most of the miracles God performed through him.  I think what struck me most was how many times he is called "the man of God" in these three chapters ~ I counted 19 times! What a great title!!

There was some discussion about miracles a while back and here in the story of Elijah and Elisha we see the second of three distinct periods in the Bible where miracles abound. (the first being Moses and Aaron, and the last being Jesus and the apostles)  God is clearly trying to send a new message and He authenticates it by giving these two men the ability to do things no one else would be able to do so that there is no disputing that God is, indeed, speaking and working through them.  They open the prophetic era in Jewish history where God begs His people over and over to return to Him.

I love the contrast between the two women in chapter 4 ~ the first one is desperate and pleads Elisha for help, the second one has everything she needs, but both are richly rewarded for their great faith.  I think it's a great picture of the rewards for faithfulness having nothing to do with material blessings.

I was also struck by the 3-verse account of the "Feeding of a Hundred."  I'm sure I must have read this passage at least twice before in the last few years, but I don't remember noticing it.  What great foreshadowing of what Jesus would do when He fed the two huge crowds a few hundred years later!  When you think of how well devout Jews knew their Scriptures, it gives you another dimension to the impact of Jesus' miracles.  I don't think Jesus' statement of supremacy would have been lost on them.  He was clearly greater than Elisha, even though Elisha himself was a powerful prophet who had been able to perform many signs and wonders.

Obviously, there's TONS more that could be discussed here about Elisha's story, but those are the things that struck me most this time 'round.

Then we move on to James 2 and most notably, the "faith without works is dead" passage.  James says here, in effect, that if there is no outward indication that you have a relationship with Christ, maybe you don't HAVE a relationship with Christ. I'll confess, I worry about this a little sometimes.

I know I have faith in Christ. I have the assurance of salvation. But I'm not out feeding the poor or clothing the needy, at least not other than dropping off used clothing at the thrift store once or twice a year, and donating money to World Vision with the click of the mouse button ~ all rather impersonal stuff. I'm not really personally involved with any particularly "good works." I'm not even sure if or how I'm ministering to fellow believers in our church.

I really struggle with knowing what this is all supposed to look like in my life.  (I take some consolation that in 1 Timothy, raising children is considered one of the "good deeds" that results from true faith in Christ!  Whew, at least I'm doing THAT!!)

In any case, we are reminded that though our salvation may be secure as far as God is concerned, WE have no real assurance of our faith if there is no outward manifestation of it through our actions.  Our works won't determine our salvation, but they are the evidence of it.  I find this passage convicting and sobering, yet encouraging and inspiring at the same time.  It causes me to examine the out-working of my faith (or if there IS any "out-working" in the first place!), and helps me understand the importance of the evidence of a truly transformed heart.

I will likely never have the ability to do the miracles that Elisha did, but I hope my life will bear evidence someday that I was truly a "woman of God."










Tomorrow's passages: 2 Kings 7-9; James 3