God's Miracle Man (Concluded)

IN MANY ways Elisha's ministry was a great deal like that of our Saviour. Elisha was very human —compassionate, gentle, and domestic. With but two exceptions his nu­merous miracles were deeds of mercy and kind­ness. Elijah did great things — Elisha's work was great also, but his ex­periences were with commonplace things.

There was the poor widow in the midst of the severe depression, heavily in debt. She came to Elisha for help. He asked her, "What do you have in the house?" She an­swered, "A pot of oil." She was sent out to borrow all the vessels she could, and as long as the pots were available the oil lasted. This she then sold and the debt was eliminated. God usually uses what we have or what we are and then adds to our littleness His greatness—even to the per­forming of a miracle if need be for success in our ministry. We are not to sit and do nothing, but do the best we can and God will make up for the rest. It is our privilege to be the Elishas of today, able to com­mand large situations through Christ and also enter the more humble homes of the weak, poor, and needy.

Power With God

She was called "a great woman," that saint in the city of Shunem. She had ex­tended hospitality to the prophet many times. One day she said to her husband, "I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passeth by us continually." A holy man of God—is that what our people say about us? Do they perceive, discern with­out question, that we are holy men of God? A pastor had recently come to a church, and I made inquiry of a friend how he felt about his new pastor. With a look of joy in his face he answered, "He seems to have power with God, a real man of God; he knows the way to heaven and I think he will help us into the kingdom." I silently thanked God for such a committed fellow minister. He did not describe him as a good fellow, a sharp businessman, or a keen administrator. My friend perceived that he was a "holy man." I covet this for my life. Do you not wish this with me?

So this Shunammite couple prepared a special room for the prophet on the side of their little home, with a bed, a table, a stool, and a candlestick. He could now come and go as he pleased, using what they called the prophet's chamber. Such a kindness brought a reward in the birth of a child to this elderly couple. My, how they must have loved the lad! But one day, as boys like to do, he followed the men into the fields. Perhaps it was sunstroke, we do not exactly know, but he cried out to his father, "My head, my head." The father did all he could and then took the boy to his mother, and upon his mother's lap the lad died. Then she laid her son on the prophet's bed, and as she was leaving to find Elisha, she turned and said to her husband, "It shall be well." What faith! When Gehazi, the servant, saw her com­ing, he greeted her with, "Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child?" She answered, "It is well." What trust in God! Even in the midst of life's most tragic experience she had learned to have faith in God; no matter what way it turnd out, it would be all right, for she was a child of God and her son belonged to Him too, and so she said, It is well."

Indirect Methods Unsuccessful

There is one small experience in this story that is very practical. Remember Elisha first sent his servant to bring healing to the boy, but the healing did not take place. Elisha had to do it himself. Indirect methods are largely unsuccessful. A vicari­ous ministry avails not; service by proxy is often valueless. How easy it is to substi­tute money, techniques, plans, systems, even faith and prayer, instead of our own personal touch in the life of a human be­ing.

The child was revived. Can you imagine the parents' gratitude and joy? What a privilege it is for us to tell others that the same power which restored the child to life will one day raise from the grave those of their loved ones who have fallen asleep. No matter what the circumstances may be, we can affirm through our Lord that "it is well" in the hope of the glorious resurrec­tion.

Union With the Unseen

One of the secrets of Elisha's power was in his union with the unseen angels. He looked beyond the things that can be seen with the human eye. He was conscious of all the power of heaven willing to come to his aid. You, of course, remember when he and his servant were surrounded by an enemy on the mount of Dothan. "How shall we do?" said the servant with fear.

Elisha calmly said: "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 6:16). How won­derful to have this assurance as we go out to face a hostile world. There are more for us than can be against us. We need not fear their faces.

Elisha then prayed, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see" (verse 17). Most of us have served the Lord for many years. It is our high privilege to open the eyes of younger ministers that they may see through the eyes of faith that God's power is not dead; that evangelism is not dead; that the legions of angels do accom­pany us and even use our voices to tell of the love of God. We are never alone in our work.

Every worker who follows the example of Christ will be prepared to receive and use the power that God has promised to His church for the ripening of earth's harvest. Morning by morning, as the heralds of the gospel kneel before the Lord and re­new their vows of consecration to Him, He will grant them the presence of His Spirit, with its re­viving, sanctifying power. As they go forth to the day's duties, they have the assurance that the un­seen agency of the Holy Spirit enables them to be "laborers together with God."—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 56.

Toward the end of Elisha's life a king made inquiry of Gehazi, "Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done" (2 Kings 8:4). I would like to have heard more of that conversation, that story of the farmer boy who accepted God's call to the ministry and in so doing asked and received a double portion of the power of God. To tell the whole of the story he would have had to encompass fifty years of faithful, zealous service for his Lord. "Never had he wavered."

Prayer: Yes, heavenly Father, grant that we too may have such a life totally committed to Thee. We want this double portion of Thy Spirit. May the men and women and youth all around us per­ceive that indeed we are holy men of God, men of unusual power, used by Thee to minister to the lost.